


West

by nightmonster



Category: Red Dead Redemption
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Child Death, Hurt/Comfort, Intersex, M/M, Mpreg, No Spoilers, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega!Arthur Morgan, Omega!Kieran Duffy, Omegaverse, Past Abuse, Slow Burn, dark themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2019-09-18 01:34:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16985622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightmonster/pseuds/nightmonster
Summary: Arthur decides enough is enough and runs towards greener pastures away from his abusive gang of many years. While stopping for a rest, he ends up staying at the Van Der Linde Ranch and accidentally finds a better life for more than just himself.





	1. Chapter 1

The sun was just beginning to return light to the world as Arthur saddled a quiet Belgian mare as calmly as he could; trying to not make what he was planning obvious. His satchel was stuffed with everything he could carry and he had double layered himself with clothing. He worried that the few people awake would be able to literally smell the fear on him but he had to take the chance he was given. 

Most of the camp was still knocked cold from the rare event of a celebration last night, giving him a slight edge. A part of him thought he should’ve left last night when things were full-swing but he had hesitated. Now he crept through the camp, telling a sentry he was just going for a ride. 

“I’m just cramping up a bit. Thought I’d get out and get my mind off it,” he said, worried his voice sounded shaky and nervous. He noticed how the guard eyed his round belly and sneered. Too few others were awake to go with him for ‘protection’ and guard the camp at the same time but he wasn’t about to get stuck babysitting an omega.

“Fine, just don’t be gettin’ too far off.” Arthur nodded and made his way towards the main road, breathing a sigh of relief. Once he knew he was out of sight, he broke the horse into a gallop heading west away from the rising sun. He had no particular destination as he didn’t particularly have anywhere to go but he pushed the horse hard away from camp. The gang was the only people he’d known for many years and he was now trying to get as much distance as possible between him and them. He just couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t bear being beaten and abused anymore. He couldn’t bear losing another pup to them. 

He wasn’t sure how far he’d gotten before he finally dropped the horse to a trot, her breathing heavy. He passed through wide open lands and admired rock structures that towered into the sky and eventually reached a river that fed into a bay. He decided to chance things and allow the horse to finally have a real rest, knowing he’d worked her too hard this morning. 

Getting off the mare was a chore since his body had gone so stiff but with a groan he swung his leg over and stepped down. He didn’t have much to eat himself but offered his steed a carrot he’d tucked away and ate another for himself. Arthur wasn’t sure where he was but it was a nice enough place underneath a large train bridge. He brushed down his horse, getting away as much sweat and dirt as he could with the worn wicker brush. The omega sighed when he finished, going over his options in his shit situation. He had just enough time to take a piss and get a drink before the sound of someone approaching sent Arthur back up on the mare and across the river. 

It was probably nothing, someone just passing by most likely, but he wasn’t about to stick around to find out. There had to be at very least thirty miles between him and camp by now but Micah had always been persistent about not losing things. Arthur knew he was viewed as nothing but property in the man’s eyes so he didn’t put him past sending out a group of men after him. Were he to get cornered, he knew there would be little he could do, having a revolver with only six shots and no more. He’d use one of those shots on himself if he had to.

Several more hours passed at the land kept drying up the further he went as forests gave way to dusty, rolling fields that stretched for miles. He’d only stopped one other time so he could take off the extra clothes he’d packed and tucked them into a saddle bag due to the heat. It had been awfully crisp out when he left that morning but the day quickly burned that away.

As he crossed the vast fields, he saw deer and pronghorn sizzle in the heat far in the distance. He saw herds of buffalo for the first time grazing down in a valley and he wondered how animals that big could survive underneath a burning sun like this. Sweat dripped from his brow and he was thankful for the hat the shielded his eyes from the burning. He loosed the collar of his shirt trying to alleviate a little discomfort. A sore ache filled his chest as he watched the animals grazing for a moment, wishing he still had his journal to sketch them out but it had been long destroyed by an impatient beta many months ago.

Arthur didn’t dare linger in the open too long and kept the horse moving forward, leading her when he felt he needed to. The two went long after the sun had finally dipped behind the horizon and risen again, eventually making the day hotter than the one before. Exhaustion was finally starting to take hold of him, noticing his pup moved less and less the longer he went. He especially knew the horse needed a good break after carrying him away from the awful situation he'd been in. By chance, the omega found a small stream and a pocket of trees on top of a sloping hill, giving him a fairly decent vantage point. It was behind a broken fence but he saw no buildings around for miles in any direction and figured it to be safe enough for the time being. He’d be able to at least get a little sleep.

The mare was grateful to have the saddle off her back, nickering with delight when Arthur massaged over sore muscles. He leaned against the animal, stroking his hand over her while he took in the land he’d found himself in. With a curse under his breath, he gently pushed himself away from the horse and she reaching her head back to nuzzle him. 

“You done good girl,” he said quietly to her and petted her between the eyes. “Guess I need to give ya a name.” He unpacked his supplies while he thought about what he could call the Belgian. She seemed unusually interested in Arthur, keeping close to him as he set up a little camp. He cleared a small space for himself and chose against a fire, not wanting to attract unwanted attention and laid out a bedroll. It wasn’t much but it made him feel free. 

He turned his attention to the shallow creek before him and did a quick wash of himself. The horse dipped her head down to drink beside him. 

“How about I call you Belle?” he asked the horse, reaching out to pet her neck. She made no assertion either way so he assumed it was a good enough name for her. He scanned the horizon once more, noticing nothing out of the ordinary; just rolling fields and mountains in the distance. A yawn escaped the omega’s mouth and he resigned to resting finally. 

Arthur lowered himself down to the ground and looked at the sky above him, watching the clouds pass over him through the patches in the leaves. He felt sleep quickly taking him. 

*** * ***

He must have really nodded off close to when the sun was beginning to get low in the sky because he never noticed the hoof beats moving up the hill until it was too late. He shot up as quickly as he could and his instincts screamed at him to grab the pistol from his belt and run. Panic surged through him as he bolted to get around a tree but the shouts for him to stop forced him to spin around and aim his weapon.

“Drop the fucking gun!” the man demanded but Arthur kept the revolver steady. It had been so long since he had another gun point at him but he knew his aim was still good. He eyed the man atop a painted horse, his skin was dark and the rifle in his hands was well taken care of. Arthur could smell he was a beta. The man’s aggressive demeanor didn’t last once he saw the swell of Arthur’s belly and he lowered the rifle. “Easy now,” he said, the viciousness totally gone from his voice. He slowly lowered the weapon into a saddle holster. The omega honestly thought his action was strange. 

Arthur still wasn’t sure of him and kept his revolver on the beta as he made slow, deliberate movements off the saddle, talking his way though each of his actions. The omega wasn’t totally at ease but he slowly lowered the revolver. He didn’t holster the weapon, however.

“It’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt you,” the beta said with his hands raised as he slowly approached the omega. Arthur watched the man like a hawk, making sure not to miss a single movement. “Where’d you come from?” the dark skinned beta asked him.

“East,” Arthur said plainly, his fingers still gripping the weapon at his side, ready to fire a shot if necessary. He thought about going ahead and shooting the man, figuring the horse and the rifle would be worth at least a few bucks. 

“Where you headin’? You don’t exactly look in any condition to travel,” he said, a low chuckle following his comment. Arthur sneered at the man.

“West," Arthur replied as plain as before. The man nodded his head and smirked when he realized he wasn’t going to any elaborate answers. 

“Mind holsterin’ your gun? I’m not a threat to you,” he said to the omega, smiling at him. Arthur reluctantly complied. The beta continued to approach Arthur but kept at a healthy distance. “Don’t look like you got much of a camp. How about you come down to the house get somethin’ to eat?” Arthur’s stomach growled at the mere thought of a real meal but he was skeptical of the intention. 

“I’m fine,” Arthur quickly shot back. 

“You’ll be free to leave. Besides, there’s cougars and wolves in these hills. Ain’t good place to be alone at night,” the beta persisted. Arthur pondered his options. He could stay here and be hungry and possibly feed something else or go and get full then possibly killed. He thought for a few more seconds before eventually nodding; the growling in his stomach had won him over. 

The man went and readied Arthur’s horse for him while he gathered up his meager camp. He attempted to make small talk and then offered to help the omega up on the steed but was quickly refused on both offers. Arthur groaned the entire way but made it up by himself. They rode back, mostly in silence or more one-sided conversations and a homestead soon appeared over a slope. “I’m Charles by the way,” the beta finally told him.

“Arthur,” the omega plainly replied. 

The homestead was a generous sized place; a main house, a few smaller buildings scattered around, a large barn and a handsome garden. He could see a few people going about their routines and nothing seemed out of place as far as he could tell; just simple ranch folk doing what simple ranch folk did. People greeted Charles and eyed the omega with more curiosity than suspicion as they rode to the main house. He could tell people were looking over the bulge of his belly mostly. A few sniffed the air. A few others whispered to others near them.

*** * ***

The two hitched their horses outside of the fine ranch house and headed inside. Charles hollered into the house, alerting whoever was inside that they were having company. Arthur felt himself edge up when the scents of the household hit him the second he stepped up onto the porch. While the neutral smells of betas, omegas and women mingled together, the sharp scent of an alpha cut through the air like a spear. The omega had to force himself further into the house, the smell of food and the pains of hunger drawing him in.

A dark haired woman appeared out of the kitchen, a pup hanging off her hip and eyed the beta with a hateful look. Arthur could tell by the expression on her face that she was about to say something sharp but she spotted him coming up behind Charles. She scowled at the pair of them.

“You need to stop bringin’ home strays, Charles. We already got enough mouths to feed and he stinks,” she snapped before going back into the kitchen. Arthur could feel blood rushing to his face, making it scarlet with embarrassment. He wanted to leave but a hand gently caught his arm. 

“That’s Abigail. Don’t worry. She’s more bark than bite,” he said as he gestured for Arthur to come sit down at the table. Charles offered to take the omega’s coat but he once again refused the beta’s offer, not sure of how long he intended to stick around. He wasn’t used to people trying to help or even be kind to him and everything made him feel strange; good, but strange. 

The angry woman from before re-entered the room with a heaped bowl of strew and cornbread. The omega took a seat where she placed the bowl and he quietly thanked her. She simply nodded before returning to her post as she shot Charles another sharp glance. Arthur huffed in the scent of good meat and vegetables, trying to remember when he smelled something this good. He was pretty sure he said ‘mmm’ out loud when he eventually savored the delicious taste. It had been so long since he’d eaten something like this.

Charles left him alone for a moment to go into the kitchen and returned with his own food. He sat beside Arthur, still attempting to make small talk but the omega was sure to remained fairly tight-lipped. The beta seemed fine with that though, going on about a variety of subjects while they ate their meal. Arthur could feel himself easing up but couldn’t entirely; not until he could assess the rest of the household. The smell of the alpha he didn’t see still loomed heavy over him. He’d only been with a small handful of alphas before but knew how aggressive they could be towards outsiders.

Despite starting later, Charles finished his meal well before Arthur did and patiently waited for him before clearing the table. The omega did feel a little better about the place once his belly was full of hot stew and cornbread. His pup even seemed rejuvenated, kicking hard and often. Arthur sat there alone at the table for a few moments before he was retrieved by Charles again and told to follow. He was lead to a room at the end of the hall where a shallow bath waited. 

“Abigail insisted on it,” Charles said as he closed the door behind him and left the omega to it. “There’s clean clothes on the stool,” he hollered through the door. Arthur didn’t understand why these people were being so kind to him and fear rushed through him as he pictured the horrible things that could happen to him in his house. It could’ve been all a front to put him at ease before they pounced. His old gang had been nothing short of cruel and had seen too much of what humans were capable. 

Still, Arthur pushed the thoughts from is mind with a sigh and stripped down before dropping himself down into the water, letting his sore muscles ease. He would at least be clean if he was about to die. There was barely enough water to cover his body but the bath felt wonderful as he washed away at least a months worth of grime and shame. When he was finished, the water was a murky brown and his skin was pink from scrubbing so hard with a callous rag. The clean clothes felt nice against Arthur’s skin despite them being a bit tight at his midsection. He’d been wearing the same thing for so long now that most of the items were threadbare and beyond saving. 

He was almost entirely dressed when he heard the sounds of several people coming through the door, laughing about something or another. Arthur felt himself freeze, nervous about exiting. A couple of kind people didn’t mean the others were going to be as friendly towards a stranger, pregnant or not. He stood there for a moment, gathering his courage together before finally twisting the knob and leaving the room. The smell of the alpha among them hit his nose like a bullet; much stronger than before.

He made his way back to the dining room where he saw Abigail, her pup, five men and a blonde woman seated together and enjoying the stew he'd dined on earlier. They were busy having a boisterous conversation about the day’s events and didn’t even notice Arthur standing there with his filthy clothes clutched to his chest. 

“You shoulda seen ‘im. The bastard had to have at least, _at least_ , a dozen points on each antler,” one called across the table where skeptical looks were beginning to be exchanged and then followed by laughter. The beta simply sunk back into his chair and looked down at his food. Arthur’s eyes darted from one person to another, trying to judge their intentions from looks alone but while he was focused on the unknown woman, he felt eyes fall upon him. He slowly brought his gaze up and saw, presumably, the alpha looking him over as he took a long draw from a cigar. The betas and the woman still hadn’t even noticed him. 

Arthur nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand drop onto his shoulder. 

“Everybody, we got a guest,” Charles said to the group, who abruptly dropped their conversation and looked at the pair. “This is Arthur,” he continued. The omega absolutely hated being the center of attention. Charles begin pointing and naming each person- Uncle, Sadie, Bill, Kieran, John, “you met Abigail and Jack of course,” he said. Lastly he introduced their alpha, Dutch, who sat at the head of the table, still puffing at the cigar and intensely studying the omega.

“Damn Charles, we didn’t know you was in the _family way_ ,” shouted the blonde woman and another round of laughter followed. Arthur’s face burned red once more but the beta’s hand stayed firm on his shoulder, squeezing it with reassurance. 

“Enough,” the alpha bellowed and everyone quickly quieted. Arthur could tell he was subtly smelling the air. “What’s the meanin’ of this Charles? I doubt you forgot what I said,” the alpha leaned back into his chair and crossed his arms, waiting for the beta’s explanation. He demanded complete and utter respect. 

“I found him out in the east pasture with no supplies, Dutch. Didn’t feel right leavin’ him there,” the beta said, trying to keep his voice and nerves steady. “This ain’t like before.”

“That so?” Charles only nodded before dropping his head, trying to be submissive. “Well then… Arthur, was it? How about you pull up a chair?” the alpha asked, motioning to one of the empty spots at the end of the table. The omega knew this wasn’t a request and did as he was told, taking one of the chairs. Everyone’s eyes followed him.

“Dutch it ain’t his-,” Charles tried to defend the omega but the alpha quickly cut him off. 

“I will deal with you later,” Dutch snapped at the beta. Charles took a step back and eventually just retreated away from the house. “So what brings you tresspassin’ on my land?” Dutch asked Arthur. The intense stares from everyone at the table made every fiber of him want to run.

“I… I didn’t know I was trespassin’,” Arthur lied, remembering the broken fence he crossed to get to his campsite. His throat was awfully dry now. He did his best to look at the alpha and show respect; to show he wasn't weak.

“Fair enough. Then, why, may I ask, were you _squattin’_ on my land with no supplies and a pup on the way? You _runnin’_ from something, boy?” Arthur felt a cold chill streak through his body as panic filled him but he was determined to not look afraid. The room became extremely tense and each member at the table noticed the shift in the atmosphere; looking nervous all at once. “Everybody out,” Dutch eventually commanded since no reply came. Each person gathered their things and made their way from the dining room leaving their alpha and the newcomer alone.

“No… I, ah.. just got lost gettin' home is all.” Arthur could tell the alpha could see right through him. He was so uncomfortable looking the man in the face but was determined to do so. 

The alpha continued to intensely study Arthur, eventually standing and stepping away from the table. Arthur could feel his fear wanting to break loose as a stray droplet of sweat dripped down his temple. The alpha began approaching him at a painfully slow pace, still puffing on the cigar and wracking up Arthur’s anticipation. He wanted to grab for the pistol but there was no way he could fumble to it before the alpha would be on him. He knew he was shaking. He had to be. The alpha’s scent was overwhelming and aggressive. 

“You’re an awful liar, ya know that?” he said once he was within arms reach of the omega. “So you gonna tell me the truth now?” He leaned his hip against the table and crossed his arms once more.

“I didn’t… I didn’t have nowhere else to go. I… I wasn’t plannin’ on stayin’ on your land or anythin’... I swear.” Arthur couldn’t look at the alpha anymore and dropped his eyes to the floor, his instincts for safety getting the best of him. He took deep breaths, trying to ease himself of the panic he felt. He succeeded in at least keeping rogue tears at bay. The alpha continued to burn a hole through Arthur for the longest time before he finally did anything. He shifted his weight away from the table and walked past the omega.

“Abigail!” the alpha hollered in the direction the woman had retreated. Only a few short seconds passed before she turned up in the doorway. “Take him up to the spare room. Make sure he’s got enough blankets. It’s gonna be chilly tonight.” Arthur took in a sharp breath of air. 

“You can’t be serious, Dutch,” she huffed. The alpha gave her a quick glance before leaving the dining room to go on the hunt for Charles. She returned the snide look once his back was turned before she waved for the omega to follow her up the stairs and to a room at the end of the hall. “You’re here,” she said opening the door and ushered him in. The room wasn’t particularly large but it was more than Arthur ever had; a bed, a night stand, a dresser with a mirror and a window that looked out towards the mountains in the north. Arthur stepped inside and admired it. “Dutch must see somethin’ in you 'cause he don’t let no one stay here no more. Get ya some rest ‘cause you got to pay me back for that stew and bath tomorrow,” she said before quickly closing the door and leaving him alone.

A small, confused smile came across his face as he crossed the room and sat on the bed, running his fingers over the quilt on it. He bounced on it slightly noticing there was a slight squeak but he didn’t mind it. It felt good enough; wonderful even. The last few days had been so eventful but he'd never expected to be full, clean and sleeping under a roof tonight. He kicked off his worn boots and got under the sheets, laying on his side, facing toward the window and looking out at the stars that dotted the evening sky. His arm dipped down under the sheets and cradled his growing belly.

“We might actually be alright, kid,” he said hopeful, rubbing small circles where he felt tiny kicks. He’d be sure not to put all his hopes into this place but he felt safe enough for the time being against all other reason. He thought about the day’s events, hoping his luck had truly changed for the better but he knew he would see. Exhaustion wasn’t far behind him and eventually lead him to a deep, dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ABO dynamics only applies to males/men  
>  **Alpha:** Highest amount of testosterone than any dynamic | Can be highly territorial and aggressive | Forms a knot to increase fertility | Identifying scent is much stronger and tends to linger | Unrelated alphas are rarely tolerated 
> 
> **Beta:** Largest percentage of any dynamic | No knot | Will often coexist with an alpha and other betas
> 
>  **Omega:** While outwardly male, they’re essentially female as they lack external genitalia | Pups are smaller than a female’s but there tends to be a lower mother-infant mortality | Much higher testosterone vs. Females | Omegas only go into heat (estrus, ovulation) once a year and lasts 1 to 5 days | Omegas can only produce AB or O, Females can only produce AB or F | AB dynamics depend on the father
> 
> *** * ***
> 
>  
> 
> Please let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is very welcome!


	2. Chapter 2

**I hated how I ended this chapter earlier so I had to majorly revise it so I could sleep at night. Enjoy.**

When the omega finally opened his eyes, it was around noon or so. He laid underneath the sheets for a long while before his bladder finally got the better of him and forced him down the stairs. Thankfully the house was deserted except for the other omega as far as he could tell, noticing how the scents of the household weren’t as strong as they were the night before. He tried to step past him without being noticed but was still easily caught.

“So Dutch let ya stay, I see?” the omega said to Arthur, about to head out the front door but stopped short of it to talk. “I’m Kieran by the way. Don’t know if you remembered from last night.”

“Naw, I remember ya,” Arthur said, nodding, vaguely recalling each person Charles introduced him to after his bath.

“Right. Yeah, so, head out the kitchen door and the outhouse is out by the tree. Can’t miss it. Got a little bit left from breakfast in the kitchen if you’re wantin’ it but I gotta get out to the chicken." He fumbled with his hands. "Dutch should be back in a little bit so I wouldn’t get too far off, ya know? He’ll set ya up with somethin’ to do,” Arthur could tell the omega was nervous of him by how he rambled. Oddly, his own fears from the other night seemed to have melted away with a good nights sleep. 

Arthur nodded once more. “Yeah, yeah sure. That’d be good, thank ya.” Kieran returned his own friendly nod before the two went their opposite ways and Arthur quickly made his way to the outhouse, sighing with relief once he made it. The omega surveyed the ranch when he stepped outside, admiring the whole place. He’d robbed plenty of places like this in his day with his old gang but had never once been welcomed at one. He wondered if it would be worth staying here and trying to build that bigger life he was chasing. He still wasn’t entirely sure what his plan was.

Arthur took his time walking back to the house and making mental notes of where things were as he went. He hated not knowing what to do with himself other than polish off the leftovers that were offered to him and wait. He felt so very out of place here. At least back with the gang, the roles he was expected to play were hammed hard and brutally into his mind. He sighed, resigning himself to what Kieran said about sticking close to the house and waiting for the alpha to return. Arthur wasn’t sure if last night was only for the night or if he was truly welcomed by the alpha due to what Abigail had said before about no one being allowed to stay. A part of him deeply hoped, though.

When he came back inside, he found a plate covered by a cheese cloth in the kitchen and underneath found a fair sized piece of a ham, two biscuits and a little bit of apple butter. Two full meals in less than a day had been such a rarity in his life. The omega smiled as he took the leftovers into the dinning room and attacked them, finishing nearly every crumb. He sighed with delight, his belly fully once more. He rubbed his swell and felt his pup roll around. Arthur took the plate back into the kitchen where he found it, seeing that the wash pan was empty. 

He mulled around downstairs, looking at the things that decorated the homestead. He hadn’t had a chance to really take things in last night. The house seemed so much bigger than he noticed before. The living room was spacious with several plush couches that sat before a large fireplace. An old piano sat in the corner, a vase of bright flowers on top of it. Antlers and various heads adorned the walls. He also noticed an unusually large number of full bookcases. 

He picked one of the books from the shelf and fumbled it through his hands. Arthur had never been good at reading, only knowing a few of the words he saw on the page. Micah had always said it was a waste of time for an omega to spend time learning. _‘You just keep yer mind on bringin’ in funds and keepin’ everyone happy,’_ he would be told every time he brought it up. The omega sighed before putting it back on the shelf. He continued to explore, lingering at several pictures he found, being able to actually make sense of those. He studied one, a group photo, when he heard the sound of the door opening and the scent of the alpha flooding his nose. Arthur looked over his shoulder and saw the man carrying in several crates, Charles coming in behind him with a similar burden.

They dropped the load in the living room, Charles greeting the omega but Dutch said nothing to him. Arthur asked if they needed his help, feeling wrong not lending a hand. The alpha eyes fell to the omega’s growing swell and told him no but thank you. The two continued their trips and a large pile of supplies quickly materialized. The omega took a seat on one of the sofas, twiddling his thumbs. He watched the men, studying them intensely each time they came into the house. 

When the job was done, the alpha crossed the room and took a seat in the other sofa across from Arthur. He fished into a pocket and pulled out a cigar case and matches. He lit one of them; the earthy smell filled the room as he puffed at it. 

“You sleep alright?” Dutch eventually asked. Charles lingered over by the supplies. 

“Yeah I did, actually. Thank you,” Arthur said, the alpha just nodded as continued to smoke. The looked over to the beta at the other side of the room, telling him to leave with his eyes. He quickly did, going to go tend to the cart and horses.

“Good,” he finally replied. The two sat in silence for awhile, Arthur growing uncomfortable after awhile under the alpha’s piercing gaze. He felt so vulnerable once again. “Abigail could use some help in the garden if you’re up to it, given your _condition_. She said you owed her sure enough for last night.” Arthur nodded and was about to stand but the click of Dutch’s tongue had him remain where he was.

“So Charles told me you’re comin’ from the east and you’re headin’ west. That right?” The omega nodded once more. He knew the alpha could smell the fear on him. “Gonna elaborate on the reason for that? Didn’t seem like you had much to say last night,” Arthur hesitated for a moment, trying to come up with a reason that didn’t revolve around the gang he was running from.

“I just want a better life for my pup, is all,” he said plainly, hoping Dutch wouldn’t ask for more. The alpha studied Arthur, seeing and smelling the fear. The alpha immediately knew something bigger was going on and felt sorry for him. 

“Fair enough,” he said, taking a long drag of his cigar. “I just better not have some alpha ridin’ up lookin’ for a missin’ omega.”

“There ain’t no alpha lookin’ for me,” Arthur said, hoping he was truly far enough from Micah’s reach.

“Good,” Dutch said. “Good.” 

The two lingered together, saying nothing once more. The omega couldn’t bring himself to look at Dutch any more, his gaze wandering away the longer he sat under Dutch’s eyes.

The alpha suddenly stood and came to Arthur, offering him a hand to help him stand, noticing how he had to reach for the back of the sofa earlier. The omega was unsure at first but ultimately took the man’s offer, blushing as he did. He thanked Dutch and then quickly gasped when he felt the alpha take an arm around his body and place his hand in the small of his back. He lead Arthur out to the garden where Abigail tirelessly worked, leaning down with a tool as she pulled away stubborn weeds that had invaded the plot.

Dutch hollered out to her, causing her to look up and wave. Dutch informed her that Arthur was up to helping her out and she smiled at him, glad to see that the man hadn’t been a bad investment. 

“Well, it’s ‘bout time ya wake up, _Sleepin’ Beauty._ Thought you might’a died,” she snapped playfully. Dutch told her to keep the tasks light before leaving the two alone, going back into the house. “Grab that hoe there and get at them weeds,” Abigail said, pointing at the utensil that leaned against a piece of fence that needed replacing. Arthur quickly did as he was told and clumsily started under her watchful eye. “Ain’t you never worked in a garden before? Here.” She pulled the instrument from his hands and began showing him how to take the corner to pull the invaders from their roots and then remake the mound that covered the good plants. “Ya see now?” Arthur nodded before she handed the hoe back and went back to her own row. 

The omega wasn’t particularity skilled with it, far more familiar with a gun or an ax than he was this. The gang had never stopped long enough to start a garden. He did as best as he could, though, trying to keep pace with the woman. “Jack! You leave them chickens alone!” she suddenly hollered, startling the omega, causing him to nick a good plant. She stared her child down for a tense moment before the pup retreated away from the birds he tried to terrorize and back to his original playground. “This pup your first?” she asked Arthur once she was satisfied that her own pup heeded her word. 

“Naw,” the omega replied as he quickly resumed his rhythm. He could tell she was waiting for a deeper explanation as he felt her continued gaze on him. “He died when he was a baby. Caught pneumonia,” he lied. 

“Sorry to hear that,” she said in a solemn tone. He figured she probably lied too, not really caring too much since she didn’t really know the man. She had no reason to feel sorry for him.

For the rest of their work, there wasn’t much talk. Arthur hated thinking of his first pup and tried to just focus on what he was doing, pushing the awful memories away from his mind. He wouldn’t lose this one in the same awful way, he reminded himself. There was no point getting all choked up about a past he couldn’t change.

When the two finished, they stood at the edge of the field and admired their labor. Sweat dripped from Arthur’s brow and felt he felt truly accomplished with his honest work.

“Not bad. You learn purty quick,” Abigail said, going back down a few rows to inspect what Arthur had done. She even lightly patted him on the shoulder with, what he thought, might have been actual affection. The omega actually felt proud of himself for once, looking down the many rows he’d tended to. “Ever milked a cow?” she asked and the omega shook his head. 

* * *

The two managed to get a few more things before the sun began to get low and cover the land with a brilliant golden glow. The garden had been tended, cows had been milked, animals had been fed and dinner simmered on the stove in the house. It took a moment for the omega to realize that he was actually feeling pride about something. It was such a rare thing for him that he wasn’t sure what to do with the feeling at first so he tucked it away with most of his other things he felt and kept a straight face. He’d figure out that complicated business on a later date when he was in a more settled about the situation he was in.

The omega sat on the porch with Abigail in the failing light; her pup half asleep in her lap as she worked on a crochet project until the encroaching night and mosquitoes didn’t allow it anymore and forced her inside. People were beginning to make their way back to the house and Arthur made theories about each of them as they passed him, ready to fill empty stomachs after a long day. He did his best to remember each face and name from last night’s tense introductions but a few fell through the cracks. No matter, he thought to himself. He’d either be gone in a few days or be around long enough to eventually learn them.

Arthur sat outside a long while after Abigail retreated inside with her pup, looking up at the stars hanging up in Heaven above him. He wondered about the few friends he’d made over the years, wondering if they were sitting up and looking at the same twinkling lights as he was. Regret filled him as he thought of Javier, another omega underneath Micah’s violent thumb. He hoped he was alright and wished he’d asked him to escape with him. 

_‘There wasn’t enough time,'_ Arthur thought to himself, trying and failing to absolve himself of the deep, wracking guilt he felt from leaving one of the few people that cared about him behind. _‘You had to get out while you had a chance,’_ he continued, fighting with himself. 

The omega shook his head and dropped his face into his hands, sighing deeply as he tried to rub the troubling thoughts from him. He always had to feel guilty for something or another. 

Arthur wasn’t paying attention, his mind elsewhere, lost in his thoughts when a cough brought him back to the world in front of him and caused him to jump. The alpha chuckled as he saw Arthur's jolt of surprise. Dutch stood at the bottom of the step to the porch, leaning against the hand rail and looked at him.

“Off thinkin’ a better things?” That alpha asked as he came up the stairs and crossed the porch to take a seat in the vacant rocking chair. He reached into a pocket for a smoke before leaning back into the seat, swaying it gently back and forth as he lit it. He took short, quick puffs, making sure it caught completely before extinguishing the match and then discarding it over his shoulder. 

“Not particularly, no,” Arthur confessed. He leaned back into his chair, trying to looks less uncomfortable with all the things that plagued his mind.

“You know, I don’t quite… _get_ you,” Dutch said, taking a long drag from the cigar as he took Arthur underneath his studious, critical stare once more. A sweet hickory-like scent filled the air where the smoke swirled around the two. The burning of the tobacco seemed to deter the bugs that were assaulting the pair only moments ago. 

“Whatchu mean?” Arthur asked, confused. He swallowed hard; worried about what conclusion that was about to come.

“You ain’t like other omegas I met. Most of ‘em act scared t' death when they come across a strange alpha but you… you hardly flinched last night an’ look at us now- havin’ us a nice conversation on a nice evenin’ less then twenty-four hours later. I’m impressed,” Dutch confessed to Arthur. “ _Truly_ impressed.” In reality, the alpha didn’t know how afraid Arthur really was of him and his pack but he wasn’t about to let that fake facade break now. He kept his brave face as strong as he could. 

“Thank Charles for that. He seemed nice enough when he found me so I figured the rest’a ya had to be at least a bit decent,” Arthur said, a small, genuine smile cracked through his lips. He even had to fight back a little laugh as he lied through his teeth once again; he’d been scared shitless last night but hunger had been the winner of the gamble. So far, it seemed to be a good bet.

“Yeah, I’d say we’re decent enough folks,” the alpha replied, looking up at the same stars Arthur had gazed at just moments ago. Dutch seemed serene and the omega figured it was just from exhaustion of the day. When Dutch leaned his arm on the rest of the chair, Arthur noticed a raw burn in the palm of one of his hands.

“What happened to your hand?” Arthur asked, figuring he could be a little nosy.

“This? Stupid mistake,” the alpha said, bringing his hand up to allow Arthur to see the damage. “Had a pissed off steer on the rope and I wadn’t wearin' gloves. You’d think I’d know better by now, ownin’ a ranch an’ all.” Dutch laughed at his own stupidity as he looked down to the rope burns on both his palms. Arthur was surprised by the man, knowing most owners tended to lounge about while the hard, dirty work was left to hired hands. Arthur knew if the man had been, Micah would’ve been one of those kind of lazy ranchers. 

“Means yer human I suppose so,” Arthur eventually said back as he studied Dutch while his attention was occupied on his injuries. The alpha wasn’t like any other he’d met either. While he commanded absolute respect, there was a strange softness to him that Arthur hadn’t had the chance to encounter very often from anyone but especially an alpha. He felt safe when Dutch was near despite having known him and his clan for such a short time.

“I suppose it does,” he eventually replied, chuckling. The two sat in a comfortable silence for a long time before Dutch declared it time to head inside, the end of his cigar reached and the new swarm of bugs beginning. A few bites was all the omega needed to agree. Dutch helped Arthur up like he’d done earlier and opened the door for him to pass through, being a real gentleman. The omega could feel his cheeks get a bit rosy.

They walked in and everyone was gathered at the table, having another loud, over the top conservation like they were having the night Arthur appeared. There was laughter, crude jokes, plenty of beer and good spirits. Arthur could feel the warmth radiating through the room and didn’t want the feeling to end. Dutch pulled the chair out for Arthur before he took his seat at the head of the table, a cooling meal sitting at his place. Another meal at the other end waited for Arthur. Nether of them minded that fact, as good cold food was better than no food at all. Arthur looked down at the dish waited for him, a stew he'd help prepare earlier and a biscuit. He listened at the fringes of the conversations around him, just observing. Arthur nibbled at his meal slowly, not feeling the vicious grip of hunger that he usually felt. He rubbed his growing bulge underneath the table, noticing his pup was picking up on the good atmosphere judging by the sudden spike in movement. 

“So how’s farm work treatin’ ya?” the blonde woman suddenly hollered at Arthur, making him everyone’s focus. He wasn’t expecting a point where he’d need to speak and had to clear his throat before he could reply to her.

“It seems alright enough. Ain’t got any complaints. Sure ain’t what I’m used to but I learn quick enough,” he said, an light chuckle following his statement. Abigail agreed with him, telling the group of how he’d done that day. 

“So what _are_ you used to?” she quickly shot back, an eyebrow raised. Arthur kicked himself for wording things the way he did; leaving things open to speculation. He knew his face, or at least his scent, showed signs of nervousness as he tried to come up with some convincing cover. 

“Huntin’ mostly,” he said quickly. It wasn’t a total lie. Everyone at the table seemed satisfied with his answer, Bill bringing up the huge beasts he’d taken down in his life, taking everyone’s attention from the omega. People laughed, people drank and ate. Arthur felt at ease, occasionally joining in. 

The omega noticed short glances from the alpha at the other end of the table and he would occasionally catch his gaze before it would dart away in another direction. Arthur knew from past experience that he should never feel so giddy around an alpha but when their eyes met for that split second, an odd feeling came over him. It was a good feeling but an odd, foreign one. 

He hoped things would work out.

* * * 

The next morning, Arthur was up right at dawn and Dutch asked him at breakfast if he’d like to join them out with the herd. He gladly agreed and Dutch had him grab the gun belt he’d noticed the other night. He went with them to saddle the horses after everyone that was going got their fill. Belle, the Belgian mare, pleasantly nickered at him when he walked in the barn and towards her. He petted her head and fed her a piece of biscuit he hadn’t finished before readying her in the tack he had stolen from Micah. It was a fine saddle and bridle; lost from a tobacco farmer in a poker match years before.

Everyone met outside the barn and got on their horses. Dutch lingered however, and took time to help Arthur up. 

“Shoulda got you a shorter horse,” the alpha said, chuckling at Arthur. A smile came across the omega’s face once he was in saddle.

The group: Dutch, Arthur, Sadie and John, set out westward where two overnight guards watched over the herd, vigilant for hostile animals and equally hostile rustlers. A least one hundred head mulled around in the large swath of land. Dutch relieved the men of their duty and began shouting commands at his hands. Arthur had only herded livestock once or twice. It was time to join this portion with the other herd to the south pastures that were closer to the ranch. Calving season was upon them, several of the steers having already dropped a few. Arthur watched the other three, imitating what they did to get the cows moving. 

The sun rose higher in the sky and beat down on every living thing underneath it. They stopped the herd at a slow river and made sure each animal was able to get a drink before moving on. Everyone dropped from their horses and got drinks themselves while they waited on the animals.

Arthur looked over the scenery, wondering how much of it was actually owned by the alpha and his clan. The omega couldn’t help but think that Dutch looked handsome atop the white stallion he rode, moving the herd along. Blood rushed to his face before he could put the thought away.

They finally reached the other herd, a few more men waiting there as well. The entire job of moving the animals had taken several hours, a cow pushing out another calf when they arrived. Arthur felt a strange feeling as he watched the new mother lick the baby clean, still lying the grass. The newborn not found her legs yet. He tried to hold the image firm in his mind, planning to draw it if he ever got his hands on another journal again.

The group stoop atop a hill on their mounts, overlooking the herd below, just keeping an eye out. This time was a predator’s Christmas; slow, tender meat all around. 

Everyone was joking together when Sadie suddenly shot away on her bay horse, noticing something rustling at a treeline. Gunshots and screams about wolves rang through the valley when she reached it, startling the cattle and causing the men to hustle down to keep the herd together. Each person was occupied with calming the livestock and one of the pack had been successful in grabbing a calf, dragging it by a leg away to cover. 

Arthur drew his pistol, hearing the calf’s shrill cries over the sound of all the panicked commotion. He aimed the gun, hoping he wasn’t too off point and fired. The wolf released the calf as a spray of blood flew from it’s eye and dropped down dead. The young calf hobbled to it’s feet and rejoined the others, the damage mostly superficial. Arthur was relieved his aim hadn’t deteriorated. When the excitement ended, he rode up to where the wolf he’d shot laid and dropped down to inspect it. It didn’t look rabid as far as he could tell, thankfully. He reached down and hoisted the beast onto the back of his horse, groaning as he did.

At the end of it all, they had four dead wolves and no missing livestock as far as everyone could tell. Dutch hollered to John to find the calf that had been bitten to make sure the wounds weren’t bad. Infection was just as dangerous as a predator. Dutch scolded Arthur for lifting the animal, saying he should have waited on one of them. The alpha got down from his horse and pulled the animal off Arthur’s mare. He inspected the corpses, lined up in the grass before taking out a large knife and skinning one of them. He hollered at Arthur to do the same, knowing he had experience in the task at hand. 

They strung up the furs around the herd, leaving them as a message to other would-be predators, hoping it would deter them some. It would make the season easier if the warning was heeded. Arthur was busy putting up the last of them when he heard hollering over the hill and saw another member of the clan appear over the hill. The omega could see it was Kieran and he shouted about people that had stopped at the house. Arthur panicked as the man rode down towards them.

When he approached, Dutch calmly questioned him.

“Th- They was lookin’ for someone. Sounded kinda like him,” the omega said, shooting a fearful glance at Arthur before looking back at his alpha. Dutch studied both of the men as he heard Kieran describe the person in question: a pregnant blonde-headed omega. Arthur felt a cold chill shoot up his spine. He took a sharp breath of air but tried to remain ignorant. Nobody was looking for him, he defended. The alpha didn’t seem too convinced by his lie, though.

“What’d you tell ‘em?” Dutch asked, pulling his attention back to Kieran as he wiped his bloody hands on a rag.

“N-nothin’. I told ‘em nothin’, Dutch,” Kieran said, his voice shaking with nerves. He was thankful the omega had remembered the rules about strangers. “They wasn’t too friendly but Bill ran ‘em off.”

”Good. See where they was goin’?" Dutch asked, making his way over to his horse while instructing Arthur to do the same.

“West,” Kieran quickly said. A droplet of sweat fell from Arthur’s brow. 

Despite his face trying to showing ignorance of the men, his scent screamed the truth loud enough for everyone to smell, his nature getting the best of him. The omega felt everyone’s eyes on him and he tried to keep his cool. Dutch looked at Arthur for a long while before sending Kieran away, saying he’d be at the ranch shortly and then asking his hands to keep a close eye out until he returned, stressing about keeping their shooting hands ready. He hollered for Arthur to follow him towards the house.

* * *

The ride back was tense, neither of them saying anything. Dutch glared at the omega, questions running through his mind as they rode through the rolling fields. He called to Arthur to hold up, stopping on a hill that overlooked the homestead. 

“So who the hell are you?” Dutch finally asked, wanting answers. His voice was steady and stern. 

“I.. I just…” Arthur fumbled over his words, his mind not coming up with a convincing lie fast enough. He knew this would’ve eventually come. Either questions would arise or his gang would have. He hadn’t expected for the two to collide like this so soon.

“Don’t try lyin’ to me,” the alpha commanded, his voice drenched with authority. 

“I wasn’t plannin’ on stayin’ here… I just had to protect my pup,” Arthur snapped, a lump forming in his throat. He jerked his horse away and rode towards the sun, just wanting to be left alone. The alpha quickly pushed his stallion after him, coming up to cut into the omega’s path. His horse reared, nearly throwing him and he quickly worked his way out of the saddle before she could. “You otta your goddamned mind?!” he snapped as he quickly brought the animal back to a calm state. The Belgian finally eased and Arthur glared at the alpha before walking away from him, now trying to steady himself.

The omega knew he was shaking and his head spun. Things were coming crashing down like he’d known they would. 

Dutch got down from his steed, kicking himself for what he did and hurried after Arthur, grabbing him by his arm to spin him around. The omega quickly reacted however, shoving the alpha hard away from him, anger now burning in his chest. Dutch had to catch himself to keep from going into the dirt. “Keep your goddamn hands offa me,” Arthur shouted, venom in his voice as he found the fire he used to have.

The alpha stepped back, surprised an omega would act that way to him. It was a foreign, enticing behavior. Dutch had to bite the inside of his lip until it bled to keep from grabbing the omega again. Arthur continued to walk away but the alpha followed close behind, keeping a fair distance between them. He wanted an expatiation no matter how the night ended. The omega tried to ignore him as he paced, breathing hard to calm down. He periodically snapped at the alpha to get away from him.

Arthur's frustration finally got the best of him and he reached for the pistol at his hip, taking it from its holster but not raising it to take aim. 

”Piss off, Dutch,” he warned, turning to show the alpha he was armed and ready. Dutch finally stopped in his tracks, seeing the glint of the piece. Arthur glared at him hard, wanting to just get back up on his horse so ride away and leave.

”You gonna shoot me now?” the alpha asked, making his voice slow and deliberate as he raised his hands. His eyes darted between the omega’s face and the weapon he clutched in his hand. “You don’t wanna do somethin’ stupid like that, Arthur. I know you’re better than that.”

”How the hell you know what I am?” his voice hitched slightly. His finger twitched.

”I been watchin’ you close since you got here ,Arthur. I thought I saw somethin’ in ya last night,” the alpha said, something softening inside him at the sight of the fierce omega before him. He occasionally saw Arthur reach his free hand up to wipe away a stray tear, turning away to do so as he tried to hide it. The omega hated showing weakness like this. He’d learned nothing ever good came from it.

”You saw wrong,” Arthur eventually said, walking back past Dutch and back to his horse, intending to go down to the house to pack what little he had. The alpha quickly came up behind him and reached to grab the omega’s arm again before he could put his foot in the stirrup. Dutch used a softer touch this time and kept his eye on the pistol still in the omega’s fingers, ready to block it if it were pointed at him. He hadn’t been satisfied with the omega’s conclusion. “Dutch… get yer hand off me,” the omega said, his voice low and threatening.

”No… I ain’t gonna let ya do something stupid,” the alpha said, rubbing a thumb over Arthur’s skin through the fabric. Arthur’s body stayed rigid. “Your pup’s best chance involves you stickin’ around.” The alpha glanced to the growing swell. 

”Ain’t the best shot if they’re lookin’ for me,” Arthur argued, knowing how relentless Micah could be. Dutch eased his grip from the omega’s arm and brought it up to his back, rubbing a small area on his shoulder. The omega’s muscles flinched under the touch, unsure of it.

“Who?” Dutch questioned, still petting at Arthur. The omega refused to allow himself to be charmed and shied away. He holstered his gun as he put distance between them once more, conflicted. He crossed his arms as he walked, irritated and lost. Dutch stayed where he stood and simply observed the omega fighting with himself, not wanting to scare him off. Dutch questioned him again when no answer came.

”It don’t matter ,” Arthur spat, turning to looking the alpha in the eyes, pure defiance in his stare. “Ain’t none ‘a your business anyhow.” Dutch had to clear his throat, not being familiar with someone speaking to him in this manner. He narrowed his eyes some, trying to find a way to reason with the omega.

”So what makes you think you’re better off on your own?” Dutch asked, wanting to know the pros of going into the wild with a newborn on the way. Arthur turned his back to Dutch again, looking out over the vast, empty fields to the south, not really having an answer. He kicked at a small ant hill at his feet, thinking about the depth of his situation.

”Might actually get a bit a distance between me and them,” Arthur eventually replied lowly, knowing it wasn’t the most solid plan. It wasn't really a plan at all. He rubbed his hands over his belly, feeling that had no better chance. Micah would sic the gang on him the second found out he was right under his nose. He'd endanger people's lives.

”And then what?” Dutch asked, walking slowly towards him.

The omega truly didn’t have an idea about what he was going to do to seal his escape. A long silence passed between the two and Dutch came up to stand beside him, keeping a comfortable distance between their bodies. The omega crossed his arms and only looked at the alpha through quick, uneasy glances.

”So _is_ there an alpha lookin’ for ya?” Dutch asked looking towards the omega. Arthur initially hesitated, unable to say anything before he nodded his head faintly. “He hurt ya?” the omega just looked away, his face flushing with anger at the thought of his old leader. 

Dutch didn’t need anymore from him and finally dropped his questioning, able to tell the omega was going to hold on tight to his secrets. He asked the omega to at least sleep on the decision to leave, not wanting him to do something rash. He had a pup to think of. Arthur reluctantly agreed and the two walked the horses back to the barn in silence. The omega had calmed down some but still wasn’t sure about staying. He couldn't understand why he would be allowed to stay given the circumstances.

They brought their mounts into the barn and undid the tack that rested on their bodies before brushing away the day’s dirt and sweat. Arthur lingered with his mare, petting her neck as he tried to figure out what game Dutch was playing. Why would an alpha be barely knew want him to stay with trouble waiting at the horizon? He couldn’t pin a motive on him. They exited the barn and walked across the yard, still in silence before Dutch finally broke it.

”You gonna think about it?” the alpha asked as they made their way into the house. Arthur just nodded as he noticed a scent hanging in the air that made every hair on his body stand up. He swallowed and refused to show his fear as the wind whipped through and began taking it away. The alpha held the door open for him and Arthur passed through with a curt nod. He quickly made his way up the stairs to the room he’d been given and softly closed the door with a sigh, leaning against the wood as he clenched his fists. He took deep breaths as the weight settled on his shoulders.

Micah was close. He felt it in his bones. The omega brought himself over to the bed and dropped down into it, covering his eyes with his arm. Another deep sigh left his lips. These people had no allegiance to him so how could he expect them to protect him? How could he expect his pup to be safe? An itch inside him forced him to stand and begin pacing the room, worry filling him. For awhile he stared out the window, going over everything again and again.

* * *

The sun had dropped lower in the sky and Arthur had fallen into a nap. He had been dreaming about snow when a knock at the door startled him awake, causing his body to jerk. He had to catch his breath before rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His heart thumped in his ears. Arthur hollered that the door was open and Kieran peaked his head in, smiling slightly with a tray of food.

”Didn't see ya at dinner. Though you might want a bite,” the omega said before coming inside and setting the tray on the night stand. Arthur thanked him, eyeing over the meal as his stomach growled. Kieran stepped away and lingered at the foot of the bed. Arthur wasn’t particularly in the mood for company and wished he'd leave.

”You need somethin'?” Arthur asked, sighing as he became irritated with Kieran's continued prescience. He man fumbled with his fingers. 

”He ain’t a bad man,” the omega finally said, looking up at Arthur, wanting to be sincere. ”Dutch saved me from a real bad feller a few years ago. He… can protect you too.” Arthur could tell Kieran was terribly nervous, unable to look at him for long. The man licked and bit has his lips, trying to keep himself calm.

”Why you tellin’ me this?” Arthur snapped, looking up at Kieran with a hateful look before reaching over to take a piece of cornbread from the plate. 

”I’m… just sayin’… “ he said shaking his head before willing himself to look at Arthur again. “This place is a chance for somethin’ better,” Kieran added before he finally darted for the door, not being able to handle Arthur’s aggressive demeanor anymore. He closed the door behind him without another word and left Arthur to himself.

The omega suddenly lost his appetite and put the bread back on the plate before he sunk back down into the bed, staring up at the ceiling as he rubbed his belly, feeling kicks under his hands. Moments of his past flashed before his eyes as he worried; fearing what retribution would come if he were caught by them. He had five shots left now because of the wolf. He took a deep breath, resigning himself to just sleep as he turned over onto his side. He'd figure things out in the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Four months later: I finally rewrote this chapter and can move on to the next! I'm SO sorry it took so long but thank you to everyone for bearing with me!! I feel like this version kicks way more ass than the previous and I hope those who read the original agree!**

_“Get your ass over here!” Micah snapped before grabbing a handful of Arthur's hair, dragging him towards his tent. A robbery had gone bad earlier that day and he was about to take his frustrations out on the omega. He was able to easily toss Arthur on to the cot, despite his flailing to try and get away. The alpha reached down and ripped open Arthur's shirt, several buttons flying off. The omega fumbled to try and stop the undressing but was no match for the Micah's aggressive strength. He wanted to scream for help but knew it would fall on deaf ears. He continued to fight but--_

Vivid nightmares of Micah and the men that followed him had plagued Arthur most of the night. He’d shot up several times, drenched in sweat and shaking in the darkness, the memories tearing wide open old wounds he thought were healed. Sometime before sunrise, he finally gave up on rest altogether and decided to just start his day. The omega swung his legs over the side of the bed and rubbed the images away from his head, sinking his sweaty face down into his hands. His pup kicked and he pulled himself away from his pity.

With a deep sigh, he quickly dressed in some fresh clothes and took a few bites of last night’s dinner, his stomach still uneasy. He lingered in his room for a bit before making his way down through the silent house, dropping the soiled dishes off in the kitchen to be washed later. He was the first one awake as far as he could tell; snores of various people still rolling through it. Arthur seemed to step on every creak as he left the interior, intending to go out to the barn. 

Stars were still in the sky and the air was cool and comfortable against his hot skin. He would need to get a bath later to chip away the gritty feeling left behind from the sweat caused from the dreaming. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, still trying to calm down but he was unable to do that fully. Arthur tried to convince himself that things would be alright but it was extremely hard. 

The omega wanted to go for a long ride to clear his head but knew that wasn’t wise. The gang was probably still creeping close around in the area, just waiting for a chance to pounce. They had already been to the house once so it was only a matter of time before they returned. Arthur resorted to just dropping down in one of the chairs on the porch and looked up at the sky. ‘What am I gonna do?’ he thought to himself, reaching to rub his swell. The pup inside him complicated everything. If it weren’t for it, he could cut and run easily. His life didn’t matter much anyhow.

Things would be hard on the road, he knew that, but things here could end up being just as hard and not for just himself. Dutch didn’t know Micah like Arthur did. The alpha wasn’t aware of the lengths he would go to prove a point; the lengths he would retrieve _stolen property_.

He kicked himself for staying with the gang so long; to allow things to get this deep and raw. He should’ve never ran with them in the first place. It was done now, though. There was no point for him to mull about a past he couldn’t change. He just knew he’d never go back alive.

Arthur heard the door creak open and the heavy scent of sweet tobacco and the alpha soon followed the sound. The omega looked over at Dutch and watched him take the vacant chair beside him, saying nothing for a long moment, just drawing on his cigar. Arthur didn’t offer him a greeting either, putting his attention back on the horizon and his frustrated thoughts; the morning blue light just beginning to start and hide the stars away for the day.

“Fixin’ to leave?” Dutch finally asked, a puff of smoke flowing out with his words.

“Ain’t decided yet,” Arthur said plainly before looking at the alpha with a hard look. “Whatchu you care what I do anyhow?”

The alpha had to clear his throat, being careful with what he said. “It ain’t that pup’s fault things happened the way they did,” he said, sighing. “Don’t punish it by makin’ both your lives harder.” The omega could only nod his head before quickly looking away; a lump had formed in his throat. He already knew it wasn’t the pup's fault. He wasn’t blaming it for his situation but the fear of his old leader made him question the clan's ability to fend them off. The years of their violence was deeply engrained into his memory.

“That ain’t a reason,” the omega snapped, shooting a hateful look towards the alpha before quickly taking his eyes off him again. He was deeply confused by this alpha. Neither Dutch nor his clan owed him anything so why was he so determined to keep him around, especially with his old gang not far off? He couldn’t understand what would compel an alpha to protect a strange omega that wasn’t even carrying his pup. Had he actually been bred by Dutch, he could’ve understood the reasoning but the situation entirely confused him. 

“No. No it ain’t,” Dutch said, sounding rather defeated. He took a deep breath and leaned back into his seat before telling Arthur the sad story of Miss Molly O’Shea.

She had been a troubled young mother that had turned up at his door years ago during one of the worst thunderstorms the region has seen in years. Her horse had fell somewhere out in the dark and she limped her way to the first lights she saw. He remembered the dark bruises up the side of her face and the split in her lip. The woman and her pup had stayed with the clan for a little while; she had been guarded and secretive just like Arthur was but her time at the ranch didn’t last long. The man she ran from came sniffing for her, some piss-ant beta, and she bolted out of fear, taking a colicky infant with her. “Both of ‘em was found dead up the road a few days later and I’ve felt guilty for it ever since.”

“Why?” the omega scoffed. “Wadn’t yer fault.”

“If I’d made her feel safer, she mighta stayed. They might be alive.” Arthur felt strange as he studied Dutch, seeing how the guilt weighed down on him heavy. He thought about how it made them alike, feeling guilty over things they had little control over. 

“Still ain’t yer fault,” Arthur finally said. The alpha just nodded as he took another long drag of the cigar and stared off into the sky too. The two sat in another long silence, this one far more comfortable than the one before. Something had eased within the omega after hearing about the woman and the man’s guilt. Maybe this really was a chance at a new start. The sounds of people waking inside the house let them know they were about to be no longer alone. The day was about to truly begin.

“Just think about what I’ve said.” The alpha got up from his seat but lingered beside Arthur. “I… I ain’t always been a good man but I’m tryin’.” He reached down to lightly pat the omega on the shoulder and caused Arthur to instinctively flinch. Dutch smiled at him before lifting hand.

Arthur sat there until the sun was just peaking over the horizon causing the sky to light up with the first tinges of reds, oranges and pinks. He pondered about the cards he’d been dealt over the last few days. It seemed too good to be true, honestly. No one had bothered to care about him before; even his parents had abandoned him when he was young. The sound of the door slamming open quickly pulled him back away from his thoughts and towards the person going past him.

“So you stickin' 'round here or what?” Sadie asked him as she passed by; turning around to walk backwards once she reached the bottom step of the porch. She raised an eyebrow at the omega.

“I ain’t really decided yet,” he confessed. She twisted on her heels after a quick nod and continued on her way to the barn without another word. He noticed the twin pistols hanging from her sides; both of them polished and cared for. Arthur looked up at the last few bright stars still hanging in the sky and thought to himself for a while more as he listened to the sounds of everyone else waking and begin their day.

* * * 

Arthur had noticed how close Dutch stayed to the ranch most of the day, always finding some kind of work within the vicinity of the omega. Arthur did his best kept himself focused so he didn’t pay attention to the continued prescience but occasionally he could feel that alpha’s eyes on him, catching him watching several times when he would look up and away from his work. The alpha would always quickly return to his own task and tried to look inconspicuous. 

The conversation he had had with Dutch this morning was still ringing loud in his head. It was entirely possible he could meet an equally bad fate as the young woman's no matter which way the coin landed. A perk of staying here meant he at least had a bed to sleep in at night until his demise. There was truly no better option offered to him, anyway. The safety of his pup could at least justify the decision but Arthur couldn’t help but worry. If the pup turned out to be an alpha, would they still be welcome? He’d never known an alpha to tolerate another that wasn’t his own.

Arthur was busy milking the cows while Dutch and Bill worked on an old fence nearby, replacing rotted wood with fresh rails. The omega rolled his eyes at how the alpha managed to still keep close by but secretly enjoyed the new feeling of being protected. It was odd; something he’d never really experienced before and knew to still be wary but couldn’t help the flutter he felt in his chest. Things could always change so he reminded himself to keep a healthy distance until he could be sure. He was hopeful, though; truly hopeful. 

He made his way into the house, carrying two full buckets of milk. Dutch immediately dropped what he was doing and offered a hand but the omega politely declined. He was no stranger to hard work and finished the task himself, determined to prove he could carry his own weight in the event he chose to stick around. He noticed how the alpha’s eyes never left him until he disappeared into the house, waiting for a moment where he might become needed. Once he brought the milk to Kieran in the kitchen, the man scolded him for not letting someone else do that.

“Ain’t no need in pullin’ sumthin’ unless ya got to,” Kieran said, taking the full buckets from Arthur’s hands and poured them into large pots, intending to make cheese of it later. 

“I ain’t gonna break,” the pregnant omega claimed. Kieran smiled and sighed as he simply allowed Arthur to do as he pleased, seeing a streak of stubbornness flash in his eyes. The omega took the buckets back and made his way back out to his cows, intending to get at least one more, when rapid hoof beats in the distance caused him to freeze in his tracks. His heart raced and his fingers wanted to flinch to the gun he insisted on carrying as he turned his head to the man rushing towards the house. The figure grew closer and the sound of his heartbeat thumped in his ears in unison with the animals rushed pace. 

The man finally got close enough for the omega to recognize him and his body eased. Arthur cursed at himself harshly for being so skittish when he realized it was only John making his way across the field. He told himself to calm down to get back to work but kept glancing towards the rider as walked towards the waiting steers. 

The beta made his way over to Dutch at the fence and hopped from his horse. Even at a distance, Arthur could tell there was something to be alarmed about. He made a point to keep his ear towards the trio and managed to overhear John inform the alpha that signs of the trespassers were found on the outskirts of his territory. Dutch immediately demanded for Bill to grab his rifle and keep an eye out while he went to investigate, dropping his work to go ready his horse.

Arthur quickly dropped his own and hurried through the side door of the barn, intending to ready his mare and come along as well. The omega had to know, for sure, if it was them or not and this was the chance to do just that. The scent hadn’t lingered much when he had returned to the house yesterday and a part of him knew but a part also still wanted to hope they were gone. Dutch came inside only moments after and saw Arthur with the saddle in his hands, about to put it on the back of the Belgian that brought him here.

“You ain’t goin',” the alpha said, going for his own saddle. “It ain’t safe.”

“I realize that, Dutch but I gotta know,” Arthur said flatly, not bothering to look at the alpha has he continued. “I’m goin' with or without permission.” Dutch wasn’t used to this sort of defiance and had to take a moment to process the omega's statement. 

“Excuse me?” he finally snapped.

“I know ya heard me,” Arthur shot back, this time looking over his shoulder at the alpha. “I ain’t apart of your pack anyhow so I don’t know where yer gettin’ off orderin’ me around.” 

Arthur noticed how quickly the scent around the alpha changed into something aggressive and his body started to become rigid. It wouldn’t be hard for Dutch to _put him in his place_. Arthur could tell the man wanted to put his foot down and snatch away the girth strap he tightened around the horse’s belly but it never came. The alpha simply stood there and watched him for a moment before going to ready his stallion. The omega wasn’t sure what had come over him. Had it been Micah commanding him, Arthur would’ve obeyed without much objection or risk getting hit but something was different with this man. There was some sort of line he could now cross. 

Arthur finished getting his horse together and led her outside where John was already in the saddle waiting. The beta eyed him as he walked out, staring in confusion. Arthur pulled himself up on the horse, groaning as he did. It wouldn’t be much longer until he was too round to be able to pull himself up onto the tall creature. 

John’s eyes were still burning a hole through him and Arthur did his best to ignore the feeling but couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable and fidget some in his seat. Relief finally came when Dutch emerged and John turned to look at him with confusion instead. Dutch shot him a look back, one that said to keep his mouth shut. 

* * *

The trio quickly made their way out towards the eastern pasture, not too far from the spot where Arthur had been found, the beta leading them to the abandoned campsite. Charles was already at there, down on one knee and inspecting the tracks that lead towards a lush tree line to the north. The fire hadn’t been old, still smoldering and several half-finished beers were scattered around it. They had left in a hurry. 

Arthur’s nose immediately filled with familiar smells and a shock of fear crept up his spine as he rode closer to it. The omega didn’t have to say a single thing to Dutch for him to know the identity of the trespassers was fully confirmed. Arthur couldn’t tell how many men had been there but the familiar, gritty scent of Micah was very distinct. He could also tell an omega had been brought along for the road. Arthur sniffed the air, trying to decide who it was. It could have easily been Javier, the only friend he’d known for years, but the mingling scents of the alpha and his betas easily overpowered it.

“Are we gonna follow them?” Charles asked he stood, clapping dust away from his hands. He looked at Arthur with the same confusion John had had earlier.

“How far off you think they are?” Dutch wondered as he stepped down to take a hard look for himself. Arthur could tell the scent of another alpha in his territory was agitating Dutch to no end and caused his body to pump adrenaline. He seemed like a proper alpha now, gritting his teeth as he sniffed the air, a low growl in his throat.

“Left outta here about an hour or so ago I’d say. Can’t be too far off, especially if they go past us and head into town.” Dutch continued to look around, churning up a plan to rectify the issue.

“Alright. John, take Arthur back to the house. Charles and I will go deal with this,” the alpha commanded flatly as he pulled himself back up on his white stallion. Arthur eyed the rifle that sat in the saddle holster, wondering if the alpha would have to use it today. 

A part of Arthur deeply wanted to go. He wanted to see Micah die but more importantly, he wanted to know if Javier was among them now. It could be a chance to save him too. In the end, though, he heeded Dutch's instruction without even a small protest, having already won the right to be here in the first place and went back to the ranch with John.

Neither of the two spoke too much on their ride back to the house, John occasionally trying to start small talk and Arthur giving short, vague answers. The man seemed like a young pup, trying to pry about the gang the omega used to run with. 

Both kept their horses to a light trot and Arthur’s mind wandered far away. He realized he was feeling fear for the men, knowing how his old alpha tended to shoot first and ask questions later. Micah had a particular skill for violence. The omega forced himself to push the worry out of his mind as it was out of his hands. He knew the beta could smell the sourness of fear on him and he eventually fell silent for the rest of the ride to the house.

“So ya usta run in a gang or somethin’?” John asked a little into their ride. The omega honestly didn’t want to answer, just wanting to put his past behind him. Yes, he’d run in a gang but that life was done now and he wasn’t going back to all that pain if he could help it.

“Somethin’ like that,” Arthur replied, glancing over at the young beta hoping that would be the end of their conversation. 

“Didn’t figure you for an outlaw,” John commented flatly. What had he figured Arthur for? The omega didn’t bother to ask.

“Wadn’t much’a one.” Arthur remembered the early days of the gang, how Micah used to take him out robbing and such before he became little more than something to fuck at the end of the day. Sure, Arthur had killed a man or two, maybe more than that, but nothing in comparison to the alpha. No, Micah had been a complete monster once his true colors shone through and Arthur had been unfortunate, stupid enough, to fall for the man’s silver tongue all those years ago. He had to bite the inside of his cheek as memories flashed through his mind. 

“Meanin’?” John’s eyebrow crooked upwards as he wondered about the newcomer’s mysterious past. The beta seemed just as confused as to why Dutch was allowing him to stay and was trying to figure things out. The man did have a family of his own to protect. 

“Nothin’. I just ran with ‘em and didn’t do much else,” the omega lied through his teeth. John finally fell silent for a moment, the house beginning to appear in the hazy distance. The day had gotten so hot but thankfully the air was dry, not muggy and thick like the days were back east. Arthur found himself once again wishing for a bath, the one the other day had been such a treat. 

“That pup your old alpha’s? That why he’s after you?” John finally chimed in once more, not knowing when to leave well enough alone. Arthur could feel his blood wanting to boil at the nosy question. 

“What’s it matter!? How about ya mind yer own damn business?” Arthur suddenly snapped. He was nearly yelling but he’d finally had enough. He noticed how the beta got a strange look on his face, almost looking hurt from the scolding. The omega didn’t bother to wait for a reply and kicked the horse slightly, sending her faster and ahead of the man. Arthur needed away from him now, irritation making his face flush pink.

Arthur didn’t immediately go down to the house and instead sat atop a hill overlooking the ranch. He watched John pass him without a word, not even looking at the omega. It suited the omega just fine. 

He dropped down from the saddle with a groan and sat down in the brittle, brown grass and admired the ranch. It really was a nice place, here. More than he’d ever had. He breathed in hard as he scanned the place, wondering if Micah was out there somewhere looking at him at this exact moment and the thought made his skin crawl. Life was such a complicated thing.

Hard kicks brought him way from the ugly thoughts of the gang, remembering why he’d run away in the first place. A new life wasn’t just for him alone. He was still so conflicted about staying; the worry of the alpha and the worry of the unknown complicating his thoughts. He felt wrong no matter what direction he chose to take.

* * *

Arthur sat out on the porch with Kieran, Abigail and her pup while the betas patrolled the perimeter of the house once he finally cooled off from John’s little interrogation. Everyone patiently waited for Dutch and Charles to return, the sun getting lower and lower in the sky and worry amongst them all began to grow, the men having been gone longer than anyone cared for. Kieran and Abigail noticed the nervousness that seemed to radiate around the newcomer and it made them both edgy as well. 

Bill had come back down to the house to check up on things, having seen nothing more than a few coyotes and turkeys. He groaned that Dutch was worrying about nothing; the trespassers seemed like cowards in his opinion. He went on about how it didn’t take much to send them away the other day.

“I bet they done ran off,” Kieran said as he slowly rocked the chair on his heels. Abigail had transferred her pup to his lap as she went to check on the dinner simmering in the kitchen. “Nobody messes with Dutch and his boys.” The omega glanced up at his mate, noticing him swagger with pride and caused corners of his mouth flinched with a faint smile he tried to hide.

“A’course nobody messes with us. They know we use’ta be a bunch’a ol’ outlaws ourselves,” Bill said as he pat the clean-as-new pistol on his hip. “Heard you was a pretty good shot yourself, Arthur,” the beta said, remembering what John had told him the other night when he got back from watch. Kieran nodded in agreement with his mate.

“Guess I’m alright,” Arthur said before he looked towards a distant tree line. He was far too worried about the _real_ outlaws that were probably preying upon him.

“Not from what I heard. Sadie was goin' on about it too.” Bill was about to boast about his own skills but suddenly snapped to attention when he heard the sounds of hooves approaching. Arthur did the same, his head quickly shooting up towards the sounds. Thankfully, it was just the second false alarm of the day, Dutch and Charles finally returning. Bill waved at the approaching pair and made his way towards the barn to greet the pair.

Arthur was anxious to hear about what had happened but patiently waited for them to come to the house instead of running over like he wanted. His fingers found themselves wrapped around his belly and felt several hard kicks as the anticipation grew in his chest. The pup was growing sick of its mother’s constant worry. 

When the men finished breaking down their horses, they made their way to the house, the betas respectfully following behind their alpha. Arthur was immediately able to smell the irritation that radiated around the leader and didn’t expect good news of any sort.

“You find ‘em?” Kieran called out.

“No. Sons’a bitches were up wind and probably smelled us a mile off,” Dutch replied, groaning as he leaned against the railing, the betas doing the same after him. “The tracks circled around the property so they’re still around here somewhere. I want everybody to keep a gun on them 'til we know they’re gone.” The alpha’s gaze fell over Arthur and lingered, looking at the gun that had hung from his hip since daybreak. Arthur could feel something building up in him as the sounds around him suddenly became nearly mute. 

He could feel his heart speeding up quickly and had to excuse himself. Once behind the door he had to swallow hard and clenched his fists hard enough to pop every joint to keep the nauseating feeling at bay. He knew Micah was coming for him now. His mind jumped to the idea running and putting as much distance between him and this place as he could once it got dark. He felt like an animal bleeding in a trap, just waiting for the hunter to come deliver the final blow.

He walked into the living room and shakily sat down on a sofa, his legs suddenly becoming weak and hardly functional. He had to remind himself to keep taking deep breaths as panic rushed over him like a sudden wind and settled in his bones. Arthur noticed his eyes were beginning to sting at the arrival of frustrated tears that collected at the corners of his eyes. He grit his teeth hard, the lump in his throat getting bigger and more suffocating. He didn’t even notice that the alpha had come inside after him and stood at the entrance of the room.

“You alright?” Dutch suddenly asked, causing Arthur to gasp and jump. Glancing towards the man, he simply nodded and tried to not show the turmoil he felt but knew the effort was useless. The air of the room was sour with his fear while his face was pale and tiny droplets of sweat formed across his forehead. The omega wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d been shaking hard enough for the alpha to see. “You don’t seem like you are.”

“ _Why_ are you always comin’ after me?” Arthur suddenly snapped, now getting annoyed by the alpha’s odd fascination with him. Dutch was taken aback with the omega’s harshness. 

“I’m not allowed to show concern?” Dutch asked, his voice remaining calm. Arthur didn’t know what was coming over him. He would’ve never spoken to Micah the way he was doing this man. 

“But _why_ are you so damn concerned? Hmm?” the omega spat, looking at the alpha with a hard, hateful look. “I ain’t nothin’ to you… my pup ain’t nothing to you.” Tears threated to run out of his eyes. The alpha hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words. The deep, rooted pain he saw in Arthur’s eyes made heart ache in a way he didn’t know it could anymore. 

“That don’t mean you can’t be.” Dutch’s voice was low; almost a whisper and Arthur didn’t have something smart to say back. Instead he simply looked away, unable to face the possibility of something genuine. “I don’t want you gettin’ worked up about this,” Dutch said as he carefully made his way across the room, not wanting to spook him further but something compelled him towards the omega. Dutch sunk down into the vacant spot beside him, leaving just enough space between them to be comfortable. “Arthur… I don’t know why I want you to stay but I do.”

“That don’t make a lick’a sense,” the omega said lowly. Arthur continued to keep his face turned away from the alpha. He tried to hide the stray tears, occasionally cursing under his breath when one of the salty droplets managed to escape. Wiping them away on the back of his hand, he knew he wasn’t hiding anything well.

“I know it don’t but it… it’s how I feel.” Arthur felt the seat shift underneath him and then felt the warmth of an arm around his shoulders. The feeling caused him to freeze, not quite knowing what to do with the gesture. Most alphas he’d met wouldn’t have even humored something like this but a strange sensation began buzzing in his chest as fear and comfort mixed together. 

“You’re willin’ to put yer family in danger fer some stranger?” Arthur asked, finally willing to turn red, irritated eyes towards Dutch to look at him hard, trying to find something in his face. 

“We’ll deal with it,” Dutch stressed. The dodge of his question irritated the omega and he grit his teeth then turned away once more as a flash of anger shot through him. 

“Ya don’t understand,” Arthur sighed as he sniffled. “Me bein’ here puts all’a y’all in danger. He ain’t gonna be peaceful about it.” 

“We _will_ deal with it,” the alpha said again as his thumb petted back and forth through the fabric of Arthur’s sleeve. The omega breathed slow and heavy, trying to process the man’s motivation but found no answers within his complicated thoughts. “This ain’t the first time we done somethin’ like this. Doubt it’ll be the last.”

“I don’t want nobody’s blood on my hands, Dutch,” the omega said, his voice hitching slightly. He felt the alpha’s fingers grow tighter around him and then noticed him scoot their bodies a little closer together.

“It ain’t on your hands, Arthur. We’ve all talked about it.” The omega could feel his eyes beginning to sting again and a warm feeling began to creep up inside him. He nodded and licked his dry lips before allowing himself to ease. Rigid muscles finally began relaxing and the sour smell in the room was beginning to be over taken by the protective aroma radiating from Dutch. Arthur would’ve never guessed that he would see a day that he was comfortable with an alpha this close. Years of fear had made his heart stony and cold. 

The two sat in silence for a while and Arthur finally couldn’t take the feeling of the man’s arm around him, the sensation beginning to kick up strange feelings. The omega wriggled away and put a few inches of distance between their bodies before sinking backwards into the plush fabric of the sofa. He was certainly more at ease but there was still a gnawing feeling in the back of his head that told him to be cautious, a fear still driving him. 

The sounds of gunfire and hollering reached the two and both of them shot their heads towards the direction. Arthur vaguely heard the alpha telling him to stay put as he bolted from the room but the demand had fallen on deaf ears. Instead of complying, Arthur hurried towards the sound, keeping as low as his body would allow to miss several of the bullets that passed around him. 

“What’s goin’ on!?” Abigail called, her voice shrill and full of panic. She made her way from the kitchen towards Arthur, keeping equally low. “Where’s Jack!? Where _is_ my boy!?” Arthur, unfortunately, didn’t have an answer for her. Her pup had been in Kieran’s lap when he came inside and never saw or heard someone else in the house. Arthur ducked down by one of the windows and scanned the porch and yard, seeing no one from the clan dead or alive. 

“I dunno but I don’t see nobody on the porch,” he knew that observation wouldn’t be enough to calm the panicked mother but had nothing else to give her. “I bet Dutch got ‘em off safe.” He tried to sound confident but honestly didn’t know. A look suddenly flushed across the woman’s face as she bolted out of the room to fetch a mean looking pump shotgun from her bedroom. 

“These sons’a’bitches are gonna be sorry!” she shouted as she returned to the room, her voice full of venom and fear. The woman didn’t know if her son was safe and that fact entirely enraged her. She took up space at another window and peeked out as Arthur did the same, clutching the gun close to her body. Arthur wasn’t sure if the woman knew how to use the weapon but knew she certainly looked intimidating with the cold steel in her hands. 

Dutch and the others were nowhere to be seen, hidden outside somewhere defending what was his from this invader. The omega continued to scan the yard and saw a sight that made his blood run cold as ice. Over in the distance, hiding behind a half-rotted tree near the barn, Arthur saw the familiar gleam of Micah’s white hat bobbing back and forth as he took aim at the clan. Things seemed to be moving in slow motion as Arthur watched and took in every detail of the situation. Rage began to boil up inside of him, his face beginning to glow red from the amount of pure hatred he felt towards the alpha and his gang.

Without much thought, Arthur smashed the corner of the window and began taking his own aim, trying to get a shot at Micah or one of his men that scrambled for cover. The alpha and the ones he had chosen for this were wiry and careful, making sure their bodies were hidden to enemy fire. Arthur took several shots towards different targets, missing all of the times and he cursed at himself when he noticed how badly his hand trembled.

Arthur ducked back down out of sight and tried to steady himself and watched the aggressive thing that had once been Abigail fire and curse wildly. When the omega finally could breathe, he came back up to the window and he noticed how things had suddenly become awfully quiet, all the gunfire and hollering had died away. Arthur took the chance to scan the yard again and noticed two bodies lying dead in the grass. He couldn’t tell who the men were and deeply hoped they were Micah’s but couldn’t be sure at his distance. 

“We know you’re in there, Morgan!” he heard from towards the tree. Micah’s raspy voice traveled across the yard with painful clarity and Arthur froze. “Now we’ll do this tha easy way or tha hard way. Take yer pick, cowpoke!” 

Arthur noticed how quickly his heart began beating, the sound of it drumming in his ears and drowning out most of the sounds around him. Panic began surging through him as he tried to figure out what to do; he knew if he stayed hidden, Micah would tear the place a part. He knew if he didn’t, Micah would tear him apart. His instincts called for him to return to the alpha like he was meant to but another fire raged in his chest, determined to carve his own path.

“Snap out of it, Arthur!” Abigail snarled at the omega as she sat out of the line of fire to reload her gun.

He peeked again over the corner of the windowsill once more and could see the brim of Micah’s hat still safely behind the tree. The man wasn’t about to make this easy for anyone. The omega swallowed hard as he took aim anyway and fired a round towards the alpha, nicking the blackening bark close to his head. Arthur could see the man flinch and then begin to cackle.

“I see it’s gonna be tha hard way! Light ‘em up!” Micah shouted and the bombardment continued from both sides.

Arthur saw another one of Micah’s men fall as he attempted to find a new spot of cover, someone catching their bullet in his neck. The omega wasn’t able to be certain who took the man down, not being able to see Dutch or any of his clan from his spot. Arthur watched the man struggle for a moment in the dirt, grasping at his neck before finally succumbing to the blood loss and grow still. In his careless, gawking state, Arthur had to quickly duck as a bullet flew close enough past his head for him to feel the breeze. 

“Goddamn it,” he said under his breath, the close call knocking him back to focus. He moved to another window to try to find the source, more bullets flying over his head through the wood. God, he was rusty. Micah had stopped taking him on jobs years ago and it was now showing. It was one thing to kill a wolf; it was another thing to kill something that had a gun too.

Shouting and gunfire overlapped one another as the ranch descended into chaos. Bullets and slugs splintered wood all around the omega, causing his lungs to burn from the debris. ‘This is it,’ Arthur thought to himself as he huddled against the wall. Fear was beginning to overwhelm him once more but had to knock the sinking emotions away. He couldn’t give up so easily. He just couldn’t.

More men came out of hiding began firing as well. Micah hadn’t expected this from _simple_ ranchers but had certainly come prepared. They weren’t leaving until the alpha had what he was after. Round after round was fired back and forth until Arthur managed to hit another one of Micah’s betas in the back, forcing him to the ground. Another man went to grab his body and drag it out of range but was hit in the head by another one of the omega’s rounds. A piece of him felt disturbed by the feeling of satisfaction he was beginning to have.

The fighting went on for what seemed like hours before things got quiet again. There had to be more to this. Arthur needed a better angle and moved his position as quickly as he could to another window, keeping low to avoid getting hit. All the windows at the front of the house were busted out now, many of the things inside the house now riddled with holes too. Where was Dutch and everyone else? Fear pulsed through the omega as he imagined the worst. 

Arthur forced himself to shake away the fears and to keep fighting, unwilling to experience whatever punishment Micah’s sick mind had concocted. If Dutch and his clan were gone, this would be his last stand. He took aim once more and took down two more of the bastard’s followers. Neither of those shots had been clean kills and the men wailed as they clutched their wounds. In a way, it pleased Arthur that they were suffering; not in the way that they had made him suffer but suffering nonetheless. The omega was so intensely focused on dropping more of the men in front of him that he hadn’t noticed the backdoor creaking open and the careful footsteps that followed.

Arthur’s head snapped to the side when he heard Abigail cry out and saw one of Micah’s men bash the side of her head with his pistol, knocking her out cold. The omega tried to get his gun on the beta as fast as he could but simply wasn’t quick enough. He cried out when dirty fingers gripped his hair and pull, causing him to lose a hold of his gun as he fell. He cursed when his side hit the floor hard and he looked up at the man looming over him. Arthur vaguely recognized the man, having been one of Micah’s newer editions right before the omega abandoned the gang. The beta reached down and gripped the collar of Arthur’s shirt with his free hand, tearing it in the process as he yanked the omega to his feet. Arthur began swinging, landing a solid punch to the man’s nose.

The beta’s gun fired off and the bullet few past Arthur, landing into the glass eye of a deer that hung on the far wall. The two scuffled for a moment before the beta swung at the omega and hit him hard enough in the temple for him to see stars. Arthur immediately dropped to the ground, clutching his belly trying to protect the unborn pup when he noticed the knife stuffed in the man’s boot. Fighting through the dizzying pain, he quickly swiped for it, feeling the handle contact his fingers. 

“Yer gonna fuckin’ pay fer that,” the beta growled as he began the motion to reach for the omega again.

Arthur wasn’t sure how he was able to move so quickly due to the ringing in his ears but he managed to get to his feet. The beta swung again and missed so Arthur took his opportunity and sunk the knife to the hilt between two ribs and into a soft lung. The beta stood there stunned for a moment before pointing the pistol back at the omega. Shock of the knife buried in his ribcage was beginning to take over him so Arthur was able to easily wrestle the gun away and then finish the job with a bullet to the center of his chest. 

The beta backed away a few paces before slumping against the wall and sliding down it, leaving a bright red streak as he sank down and went still.

The door to the kitchen suddenly creaked open once more and Arthur aimed the dead man’s gun to shoot the intruder but stopped short when he was it was the others. Kieran held Jack hard to his chest, the pup squalling and crying from pure terror, calling out for his mother. The omega lowered his weapon and then turned his attention to Abigail, the woman beginning to come-to. 

“Ya alright?” Arthur asked her as he knelt down beside her. She weakly nodded her head and coughed as her senses slowly returned. Her eyes glittered when the sounds of her pup’s cries made it to her ears, causing her body to suddenly snap to alert. The omega helped her stand onto shaky legs and she rushed the two, quickly scooping Jack into her arms. 

“Thank God,” she said, tears running from her eyes, one of them beginning to close from the angry bruise that was beginning to form. Arthur had to admit he could feel her relief. He could also admit the scene in front of him made his heartache as he remembered holding his firstborn the same way she was at this moment. He had to swallow the knot in his throat. “Where’s everybody else?” Kieran stammered as he told of what had happened outside. The gang had attacked from the south and just started shooting.

“If Bill hadn’t been there, I... I wouldn’t be,” Kieran said. His hands trembled some and Arthur felt sorry for the omega, he seemed so fragile and afraid. Arthur breathed hard as he walked back towards the window to see what he could see. He scanned the yard but the only men he saw were the dead ones scattered about; he noticed the brim of Micah’s hat was no longer behind the tree but that didn’t mean the alpha wasn’t still mere yards away from the omega. Arthur grit his teeth when he saw nothing, angry at himself for not managing to kill the man. “I think they done ran off. The boys… really gave ‘em a r-run for their money.”

The back door suddenly slammed open once again, this time it was Bill helping, half-carrying, the alpha into the house with John following close behind. Arthur noticed how Dutch hopped on one leg while the other had streams of blood soaking through the fabric of his pants. 

“Abigail, we need ya here,” her mate hollered as Bill continued to help the alpha to the dining room table, placing him down easy into one of the chairs. Arthur peeked back out the window one more time, just to make sure the bastard wasn’t still there hiding but saw nothing. Had running them off really been this easy? He suddenly realized he could hear Sadie whooping and hollering somewhere in the distance. “Abigail!” John shouted louder again. She reluctantly gave her son back to Kieran with a kiss to her pup’s head so she could be of assistance. “Goddamn, what happened to you!?”

“It’s nothin’. Jesus, Dutch,” she muttered as she tore away the fabric around the wound. The omega couldn’t help but think the look on the woman’s face looked purely worried and quickly assumed the worse as he approached the scene in the dining room. 

Dutch looked pale and he poured the sweat but Arthur noticed the scent of the room wasn’t filled with fear. He’d patched up bullet holes before and there was always a sour scent around the boys he’d worked on. Even Micah smelled afraid the time he’d taken a bullet through his shoulder but Dutch wasn’t. The room was spicy with the sharp smell of rage instead. Even with the adrenaline pumping through the alpha’s body, he still groaned as Abigail poked and prodded the wound.

“Yer damn lucky, Dutch. Looks like it only hit the meat,” she said, turning his leg some to get a better look and cause another groan from the alpha. “And it looks like it went clean through.” Arthur admired how a firm calmness seemed to wash over the woman once she judged the damage uglier than it seemed but guilt began to build up in the omega’s chest. He’d caused this. Had he not been at the ranch, the alpha wouldn’t be gritting his teeth as a needle closed the wounds. Arthur didn’t know what to do or say as he stood in the background.

“Goddamn it, get me a drink,” the alpha finally snarled and a bottle of whiskey was quickly placed in his fingers. “Is everyone alright?” Dutch scanned the room to everyone’s faces as he took a swig from the bottle and stopped on Arthur and immediately knew what he was thinking. He could smell what he was thinking. “This ain’t your fault, Arthur.” The omega swallowed hard as he was addressed, the words not relieving the anguish he felt. He needed to leave. Tonight. Micah’s men were easily replaceable and Arthur knew the alpha would try again eventually. He’d grown to know the man too well over their twenty-or-so years together.

“Dutch we both know this… this is my fault,” Arthur said lowly so his voice wouldn’t crack and looked down at the ground like a pup that’d been caught stealing. He could feel himself wanting to cry but absolutely wouldn’t allow himself to breakdown in front of audience. “I told ya I didn’t want y’all’s blood on my hands and now I got yers all over ‘em.” Dutch suddenly nodded his head for the betas to leave them be and the two quickly obeyed, going out the same door they’d come to begin tending to the bodies outside, John pecking Abigail on the cheek before he did.

“And I already told _you_. My clan and I all talked about this.” Dutch’s words were slow and deliberate as he studied the omega, trying to gauge if what he was saying mattered one bit. “Ah! Easy,” he suddenly snapped as Abigail placed another stitch. 

“Oh quit whinin’,” Abigail playfully quipped as she continued to finish mending the torn flesh, carefully placing stitches. Even with one of her eyes nearly swollen shut, the woman worked with precision. “He’s right, ya know. Most of us come here with somethin’ chasin’ us.” She placed the final stitch and then began washing away the rest of the blood from the surrounding area. Arthur knew she’d done this before by the care she used.

“That don’t mean I wanna make trouble fer y’all,” Arthur tried to protest and received a deep sigh from the alpha. Abigail finished the last of her work, proud of the mend and left the two alone to clean the blood away from her hands. She sent Arthur a final glance before she left the room; a sort of warmth was in it. She wasn’t the same terrifying woman he’d met a few days ago. 

“You ain’t makin’ trouble, Arthur. Ain’t a bit of this your fault,” Dutch said as he groaned, repositioning his body in the seat to be more comfortable. “You ain’t the first person I been shot over.” He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a sleek looking case. Inside he fished out a cigar before offering the omega the seat across from him. The sweet scent of the alpha’s cigars and the sharp scent of the extinguished match had become rather comforting to Arthur. “We’ll be ready for them if they come back.”

“He’ll be back if I stay,” Arthur said as he sunk down into the seat, a hand going around his belly, sighing has he felt the pup roll. 

“He’ll prob’ly be back if you go,” Dutch countered. Arthur realized the alpha was correct. Micah knew he was here and a piece of the omega figured he would return simply for revenge. Expendable men or not, they were still _his_ men that lay dead around the ranch. Arthur simply nodded his head at that fact, biting his lower lip as he realized the extent of the bind he was in. There were no good options presented to him. “We can protect you, Arthur. Both of you,” Dutch said as he ran a hand through his black hair, taming strays back into their sleeked back position.

Arthur could only study the alpha for a moment, still unsure of his motives but a piece of him deeply wanted to believe. He wanted to be safe for the first time in a very long time. He wanted a good life for his pup. Arthur wasn’t sure what forces had brought him to this place but he knew he needed to be thankful with what little blessings he did receive. Maybe this was real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think! I hope you enjoyed (:
> 
> 06/09/2019 - Sorry for the wait for Chapter 4 but it's gonna be a lot longer because I'm a fucking idiot! Apparently in a drunken state or something, I deleted my ENTIRE story folder from OneDrive. All my shit is gone. Outlines, planned stories, etc. Gone like a fart in the fucking wind. So.... I shall be writing it allllll over again. Sorry for the delay and thank you for being patient!
> 
> 07/29/2019 - I'm super critical of myself but it's coming!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for being slow as fuck but here it is! After 4 long months, chapter 4 is finally here! Please enjoy and let me know what you thought!

It was getting late but Arthur still found himself on his hands and knees, scrubbing away the blood of the man he’d killed earlier. He eyed around the room, looking at the destruction that had yet to be cleaned away. It was going to be a hell of a job to get things back to how they were before Micah and the gang roughed up the place. The omega sighed as he put his eyes back towards his work and began scrubbing harder than before, his hands and arms getting sore from the intensity. He could hear Dutch conversing with a couple of his men in the dining room, the group coming up with a plan to deal with the threat while alcohol was passed back and forth. Arthur could hear one of them loudly voicing their opinions but, in the end they obeyed the alpha.

Arthur leaned up and dropped the filthy brush into the water, thinking how it was never going to completely come up, the blood having sat on the wood long enough to stain. He looked at the dark spot, guilt and anger filling him up to the brim. He’d caused this. Had he just kept running instead of making himself comfortable, none of this would have happened. 

_‘Worse things might’a happened,’_ he reasoned with himself. Arthur groaned as he finally stood, taking the bucket of water with him to dump outside somewhere. 

The night was hot but comfortable. He looked up towards the star filled sky, seeing several shooting ones dart across. He remembered being told about the wishes they could grant when he was young. Arthur wished he could still believe in such things. Instead he sighed as his free hand rubbed the swell of his belly and felt those hard kicks. The pup was getting stronger as time went on and it wouldn’t be awful much longer before it’d be in the omega’s arms. Arthur desperately hoped he’d be ready for mothering, not really having had the chance the first time around. He continued to rub at his belly, telling the pup to quietly hush until the movements came to a stop. The feelings of regret, anger and doubt hadn’t left him as easily.

 _‘Keep it together, Morgan,’_ he thought to himself as he walked out into the yard to dump the soiled water. He took a minute to soak in his surroundings, the moonlight illuminating the rolling hills around the ranch. It really was beautiful here, he finally admitted to himself. A sudden snap of a twig behind him made him jump and spin around and reach for the pistol on his hip. 

“S… sorry, sorry, didn’t mean to sneak up on ya. Dutch don’t want ya runnin’ around by yerself,” Kieran said, his voice shaky and nervous as usual. If the alpha didn’t want Arthur unattended, he wondered why Kieran, the most fearful of the bunch, was sent to escort him. He noticed the pistol on Kieran’s hip but wondered if the omega knew how to use it properly.

“I can handle m’self,” Arthur said as he fingers left the grip of his gun and his body eased. 

“I know ya can, just none’a us want ya gettin’ snatched up is all,” Kieran admitted. Arthur had never met people like the ones at this place, ones willing to take in a stranger and then treat and defend him like family. He knew it would be a long time before he would entirely understand these folks. “You done a real good job in the livin’ room. Can hardly tell someone died there earlier,” Kieran nervously chuckled, trying to make light of the situation despite the dark bruise that crept up the side of Arthur’s face from the beta’s blow. It certainly didn’t make the omega feel better.

“I suppose,” Arthur said as he walked past the other omega and towards the porch, deciding to not refill the bucket. He lowered himself into one of the now holey rocking chairs, content to take a rest before making his way upstairs for the night. Kieran slowly made his way to the porch as well, taking the empty seat beside Arthur. The omega was content to sit in silence but the quiet made Kieran jittery and try to fill the space.

“Ya know, Dutch seems a lot happier since ya came along,” he said, Arthur not making any discernable response. “Despite what happened,” Kieran added. Arthur truly couldn’t understand why. He was, so far, nothing but a hassle for the man and everyone else at the ranch. The omega had brought his troubles with him despite desperately trying to leave them behind. “He seems like a different man when he gets ta talkin’ to ya.” The omega sorely wished Kieran would either go away or be quiet.

* * *

Arthur didn’t know how long he sat there listening to Kieran ramble away when his head snapped towards the east, the sound of a galloping horse drawing his attention. The patches of white on the animal almost glowed in the moonlight as the rider approached at a dead run. Arthur could feel his heart begin to speed up, unable to tell if it was one of Micah or Dutch’s men. He could smell Kieran getting nervous as well. The omega stood from his seat as quickly as his body would allow and strained his eyes hard to see. A part of him wanted to run inside but if it was one of Micah’s thugs, he wanted to have the first angry shot.

“Oh good, it’s just Charles,” Kieran said with a sigh, his fear disappearing. “Who’s that with ‘em though?” The beta brought his horse to a trot as he got closer to the house, eventually bringing the animal to a stop at the barn. Arthur closely watched the pair as Charles helped the second rider down and then draped his arm around the smaller figure. It must’ve been an omega judging by how the beta acted. Arthur took a deep breath of air and his nose quickly began to burn with the scent of Micah.

“Javier?” he whispered. Charles brought the omega up the stairs and a groan escaped his lips with the first step up. “Javier,” he said again, louder this time. The omega lifted his head towards the sound, revealing a beaten face. His eyes immediately began to well as he quickly made his way up the steps and into his friend’s waiting arms.

“I thought you were dead,” Javier said, his voice strangled and dry. “I… I never thought I’d see you again,” the omega confessed. 

“How are you here?” Arthur asked, pulling their bodies apart. He kept his hands on Javier’s shoulders, afraid this was a dream and he might disappear.

“After you ran off, I tried to go too but he caught up to me.” Javier turned his head so Arthur could see the extent of his injuries. “Your… _compadre_ here found me while they… shot this place up,” he said, looking around to see the numerous bullet holes and broken windows. 

“I know you two got a lot to catch up on but c’mon, you need to meet our alpha,” Charles interrupted as he gestured for the newest addition to follow him into the house. Arthur saw the jolt of nervousness flash across Javier’s face.

“This one’s alright,” Arthur said, trying to reassure him. They followed Charles into the house, Kieran following not far behind as well. Everyone was anxious on how Dutch would react to the new face, Arthur remembering something being said about a ‘last time’ when he arrived. The alpha was still sitting at the table, his injured leg propped up on a chair, still conversing with his men. This time there was hearty laughter as the liquor began to settle into their blood. Dutch didn’t even notice the little crowd until Charles cleared his throat.

“Now what’s _this_?” Dutch asked as he eyed Javier up and down, John and Bill turning their heads to look at the newcomer as well. The sharp scent of nervousness quickly filled the room like smoke, the same sort of scent Arthur had when he stepped into this house for the first time. “Charles, I told ya- you can _not_ keep pickin’ up strays like this,” the alpha laughed as he threw back a shallow glass of the fine, honey colored liquid. The betas seated with him chuckled as well. “What’s yer name?” 

“Ja… Javier,” the omega’s voice was low, nearly a whisper, and he kept his eyes towards the ground, trying to be submissive and not set the alpha off. He’d learned full well how to appropriately act around an alpha after years of abuse from the hands of Micah. He occasionally glanced towards Arthur and the other could see he was shaking.

“Javier,” Dutch repeated. “Look at me, boy,” he commanded and Javier’s eyes slowly met Dutch’s. The silent exchange between the two made Arthur nervous. What if Dutch wouldn’t grant his old friend asylum too? The alpha just continued to examine him, a stern look on his face that soon softened. “I suppose you’ll be needin’ a bath. You absolutely reek a’that alpha,” Dutch said, reaching into his pocket to fetch one of his cigars to light. “You’ll take care of that, won’t you Charles?”

“I’ll get right on it.” He smiled at Javier before heading towards the kitchen to begin warming up water for the bath. Dutch watched him pass. The alpha’s eyes quickly returned to the omegas standing before him and the nervousness between Arthur and Javier was palpable. 

“You two don’t have to be s’damn nervous,” Dutch hollered, a light smile on his face. “C’mon si’down, tell me about this jackass we’re dealin’ with.” He motioned towards the available seats at the table. John and Bill watched the two, almost accusingly, as they sat down at the table while Kieran disappeared into the kitchen. Dutch reached for an empty glass in the center of the table and filled it about a quarter of the way before passing it towards Javier. “Here. You look like you need that.”

“Thank you,” the omega said lowly before reaching out for the glass and taking it from Dutch’s fingers. Arthur could see his hands were shaking. The drink had a bite and made him wince when it hit the split in his lip but Javier drank it in one quick swig.

“Now, how many men does he have runnin’ with him?” the alpha asked.

“Not many but… he… he’s good at getting more,” Javier said, a piece of defeat in his voice. The men that had been lost today would be replenished in due time and the alpha would return. Dutch was silent for a while, a look on his face that said he was weighing out a plan of sorts. Both of his betas also sat quietly. 

“I don’t suppose you might know where they’d hole up next?” the alpha asked. 

“They’ve been on the outskirts of your territory for a few days now… they might still be around,” Arthur could tell the liquor was beginning to quickly seep into Javier as his speech became less jittery and his scent less fearful.

“Then that’ll be a good job for you two,” Dutch said as he turned his attention towards the betas. If the gang was still stalking around his borders, he wanted them snuffed out immediately. 

“Boss, we ain’t leavin’ the house undefended,” Bill quickly spat, a slight slur in his voice.

“The house’ll be fine. The herd needs defendin’ too,” Dutch said, his tone telling the beta that this was an order, not a suggestion. Arthur could tell Bill wanted to fight the matter as he shot a hateful look towards him and Javier but he kept whatever argument he had to himself. The beta pushed away from the table hard and went to the kitchen to tell Kieran goodbye before coming back into the dining room, clearly irritated. He told John to come on over his shoulder. “Go get ‘im somethin’ to eat,” he said to Arthur once the betas had gone.

Arthur simply nodded and told Javier to follow him. He heard the omega utter another thank you before they passed through the swinging door to the kitchen where Kieran and Charles stood at the stove, fighting for space. 

“That water’s hot enough. You plannin’ to boil ‘im alive?” Kieran snapped. 

“I gotta get another bucket and this’ll be cold by then,” Charles protested as he pulled the boiling pot away from the hot stove. He looked over his shoulder and saw the two omegas standing there and another smile crept across his face. “Shouldn’t be much longer,” he told Javier.

“What you’ve got’ll be fine. I… I don’t need much,” the omega said, Charles almost looking confused. 

“Oh, well, okay. Bath’s ready then I suppose.” Arthur noticed the beta seemed strange around Javier, almost flighty but he honestly couldn’t be sure. The beta lead Javier away from the kitchen to the bathroom to clean up, leaving Arthur and Kieran alone. 

“Yer friend seems nice,” Kieran said over his as he stirred the pot he tended, adding a few more items to make it less bland. He hated when Abigail cooked, the woman didn’t know a thing about spices. He occasionally brought the spoon up to his lips to sample his work and usually followed the action with throwing in a bit more of something. 

“Yeah, he is. Need any help with that?” the omega asked as he crossed the small room and got a good smell of the food. His stomach growled loudly despite already having had a bowl earlier. His pup declared it wasn’t enough with a hard kick towards his ribs. 

“Naw, I got it. If there’s two things I know about in this world, it’s cookin’ and horses.” He tossed in another handful of herbs and stirred them in, making sure the flavor reached every bit of the stew.

“Horses?” Arthur cocked an eyebrow as he went and sat in one of the two chairs at the tiny table against the wall. God, his knees were sore tonight. 

“Yea, use’ta work in a stable when I was a young’un. Then a kitchen when I got a bit older,” he replied, a smile coming across his face at the memories of his younger years. “Taught me everythin’ I know.” Kieran continued to stir the pot until the contents steamed and filled the room with a delightful smell. He poured a bowl and grabbed the plate of covered cornbread before bringing both to the table and setting them down in front of Arthur. 

“I… I already ate,” he said, not wanting to seem greedy.

“I’m surprised Dutch didn’t hear yer stomach growl too. Ya got a pup in ya so I’ll bet everyone’ll understand if ya get a little extra,” Kieran said, taking the seat across from the other omega.

“Well thank ya,” Arthur said, wasting no more time to satisfy the ravenous hunger. It was much better than earlier, the additions Kieran had made caused Arthur’s heart to sing praises and he nodded in approval with the first few bites. “It’s really good.”

“I keep tryin’ to get Abigail to use seas’nins but she’s stubborn,” Kieran said as he sat at the seat across from Arthur. He grabbed for a slice of cornbread and nibbled at the piece before setting it aside. “Ain’t much I can do for the bread though.”

It didn’t take any time at all for Arthur to slurp down the stew and two pieces of bread, his stomach and pup satisfied. Kieran offered him more but he easily declined, full to the brim for the time being. 

The two sat together, Arthur dropping is cold demeanor for a warmer tone, today hadn’t entirely been a bad day. Kieran talked about the work that would need to start tomorrow, about the ranch, about Dutch. The omega was pleased to listen this time unlike earlier. A full belly and light conversation put him oddly at ease.

“Where the hell have you been!?” was suddenly heard from the dining room, causing both omegas to jump. They had both figured the alpha had gone to bed. 

“I guess Uncle decided to show up,” Kieran muttered as the two listened to Dutch aggressively chaste the man. “He’s been gone drinkin’ since you showed up.” The omega didn’t look surprised. The beta came into the kitchen once Dutch finished his yelling; looking entirely unfazed and immediately went to the pot. “Oh, no ya don’t,” Kieran snapped as he quickly got up and snatched the spoon away from the man. “Dinner was for those that worked for it.” 

“You’re gonna let a poor old man go hungry?” Uncle said, putting on a pitiful face as he reached for the spoon again.

“Yes, I’ll let a lazy bum go hungry.” Kieran kept the spoon out of his reach. 

“Who’s he?” the man asked, nodding his head towards Arthur. “Ya fed him.”

“Ya really been hittin’ the bottle ain’t ya? That’s Arthur and he’s been workin’ unlike _you_ ,” Kieran placed the lid to the pot on top of the stew as a measure to keep pests, like Uncle, out of it. 

“Oh, right, right. That omega Charles knocked up.” The omega suddenly felt his cheeks get warm with embarrassment. He grit his teeth. 

“Charles didn’t- ya know what, never mind, just get outta here,” Kieran suddenly had a sternness in his voice that Arthur had never seen before as he stood up to Uncle. 

“But I’m hungry,” the beta protested. “I was busy makin’ contacts in town.”

“The only contacts you’ve been makin’ are with Jack Daniels and Johnnie Walker. Ya shoulda been helpin’ out _here_ if ya wanted to eat s’damn bad. Now git gone,” Kieran said as he banished Uncle out the side door and into the yard. The man uttered something under his breath before passing through the door. “You better stay outta the garden too,” he added before closing the door. The omega sighed as he took his seat back, the irritation gone now. “He’s a piece’a work I tell ya.”

“Seems like it,” Arthur remarked. He wondered how Micah would’ve dealt with someone like him since the man had such a low tolerance of laziness.

The two continued to talk, Kieran wondering about Arthur some. The omega tried to not let his questions bother him and to keep the answers vague. He fell into the gang because of hard times. He left because he wanted to settle down. No, he hadn’t thought of names. The conversation had finally got stagnate and the two fell into a comfortable silence while they waited for Javier. Kieran wondered out loud where Charles had gotten off to.

* * * 

Kieran brewed up a pot of coffee when Charles and Javier finally appeared again. The omega clutched his filthy clothes to his chest, the new ones fitting loose on his skinny frame. His injuries didn’t look as deep and ugly once the thick layer of filth was cleaned away from him. He looked lighter, Arthur thought.

“Did ya lick ‘im clean or somthin’?” Kieran teased, noticing how Charles acted around the new omega as well. “Here, lemme take those,” he said as took the rags from Javier and tossed them into a basket by the side door, intending to get to the laundry first thing in the morning. He then told Javier to have a seat while he prepared another bowl. “You must be starvin’,” he said as he placed the hot meal in front of him. Javier wasted no time. “Charles, go make up the spare bed in Sadie’s cabin.” His face was stern.

Arthur was in awe for a quick moment. He’d never seen an omega order around betas like this. Micah’s men certainly wouldn’t have tolerated it but Charles did as he was told without protest. 

“I haven’t had a meal like this in years,” Javier sighed after getting most of his food down, the hot meal warming every inch of him. Arthur could tell Kieran was pleased with the comment. Javier finished up the stew, using a wedge of cornbread to get every last drop before sitting back into his chair with a satisfied groan. “That was just what I needed. Thank you.” 

“Ain’t a bit’a trouble,” Kieran said as he took the bowls from the table and placed them into a pan of water to soak. With a long yawn and stretch, he declared he was going to check on Charles, knowing it didn’t take this long to make up a bed and left the two alone at the table for a moment. Arthur’s eyes went towards a small clock on the far wall and saw it was nearly two in the morning and a sudden wave of tiredness settled into his body.

“You know he’s gonna be back,” Javier suddenly said, a deep fear in his voice.

“I know,” Arthur agreed. It would only be a matter of time before the alpha returned with new reinforcements. That was just a fact of life for them right now and both of the omegas feared how ugly things would get. “I ain’t goin’ back alive, that’s fer damn sure.” Javier smiled at the determination in Arthur’s voice and mentally vowed to do the same. Things wouldn’t go back to the way they were before.

* * *

Things had gotten quiet between the two as they sipped on coffee when Charles returned to show Javier his quarters for the night. Arthur smiled at how boyish the beta seemed before bidding them both a good night, squeezing Javier’s hand for reassurance before they parted. Kieran had returned as well to clean up the rest of the kitchen before heading to bed himself. He worked quickly on the dishes, Arthur insisting on helping him straighten up.

They got to a good stopping point before Kieran insisted it was time for bed, yawn after yawn confirming it. The two had to pass through the dining room to get to the stairs and saw Dutch slumped in the chair still, his body bobbing slightly with each deep breath. Both of them thought he was passed out. 

“You two headin’ to bed?” the alpha suddenly asked, startling them. 

“Finally,” Kieran said once he caught his breath. “You plannin’ ta stay here all night?” 

“No. I’ll eventually move,” he said, lifting a hand to cover a long yawn. “You two go rest up. We got a lot to get to in the mornin’.” 

“ _We_ got a lot to get to in the mornin’. _You_ just need to rest.” Arthur was once again taken aback. _Never_ had he heard an omega speak to an alpha like this. He mentally braced himself for whatever might come next but nothing did aside from Dutch cocking a sideways smile and huffing. “Need carried?” 

“No, I’ll get there in due time. Get some sleep,” he said before waving the pair away. Kieran bid him good luck before heading towards the stairs, not noticing in his tiredness, that Arthur was no longer behind him. Dutch groaned slightly as he brought his shot leg down from the chair, cursing under his breath. The alpha should’ve been more careful but he’d been so full of rage and left himself open for a wound like this. Live and learn, he thought to himself.

“Dutch?” the alpha’s eyes slowly lifted to meet Arthur standing before him.

“Need somethin’?” Dutch asked.

“No, I ah… I just wanted to say thank you fer… takin’ me an’ Javier in,” Arthur didn’t know what he was feeling right now, a mix of several emotions as he thanked the alpha.

“You don’t need to thank me for doin’ the right thing,” Dutch said, his voice low and tired. He took another sip from his glass before sitting the drink aside, having had more than enough for the evening. The alpha shifted in his seat and groaned from the dull ache in his leg. It was going to be slow moving for a while. “Your friend needed help same as you.”

Arthur had tried to figure out Dutch since the day he arrived but he’d grown no closer to uncovering what the alpha was truly about. Years with Micah had taught him alphas were self-concerning, violent and possessive but Dutch didn’t seem to be any of those things. The omega wasn’t complaining but the behavior was still so new and he couldn’t help but be cautious. He also couldn’t help but be curious.

“I suppose I’m tryin’ to honor my late wife,” Dutch confessed in his drunken state. 

“Yer wife?”

“Hosea. He’d run away from a gang like you did so he was always keen about takin’ in the less fortunate. Tryin’ to help the _wrong_ feller got ‘im killed.” Arthur wondered why Dutch was telling him this. He’d never seen this side of an alpha before. Dutch took a deep breath and reached up to rub his eyes and the omega wondered if he was hiding tears. He didn’t smell any different but Arthur wondered. “That was a long time ago though,” he eventually said as his hand dropped down to his lap. 

“Why’d you take us in then? We could’a been the wrong people too.” Arthur couldn’t understand what it was that Dutch saw in him, or Javier for that matter, to make them worthy of places here; of a home here. 

“I couldn’t stay angry forever,” Dutch said plainly. He went to stand and winced hard as he put weight on his injured limb, sucking in air sharply through his teeth. The omega reacted almost instinctively, going over to Dutch’s side and helping support his weight. Touching Dutch sent bolts of lightning through Arthur’s body, a feeling that had been lost to him over the years. He had hated when Micah or his men touched him but Dutch, with his arm slung over the omega’s shoulder, he felt safe.

Arthur guided him towards the bedroom in the back, thankful his room wasn’t upstairs with the rest. He walked slow to keep balance for the both of them. Passing through the door, Arthur was awed by the elegance of the room. A large four poster bed sat at the far end, a small fireplace at the other with a large white moose head hanging above it. Along one side, the wall was stacked with several book cases, two of them packed to the brim with books while the middle was more sparse and sprinkled with mementos. Opposite the cases was an elegant desk and chair. The air smelled different here than in the rest of the house, the room entirely doused in the alpha’s strong scent.

“I don’t think I’ve ever come across a house with this many books in it,” Arthur commented as he helped Dutch lower into the bed, both of them groaning with the effort it took. 

“I like to keep myself busy in my free time,” Dutch said as he leaned back into the pillows, wincing as he adjusted his leg. Arthur oddly found himself at ease in here. He’d never been in a bedroom where he wasn’t pinned underneath someone. It was a welcomed change. “You read?” The calm feeling quickly left Arthur and was replaced with a sense of embarrassment.

“No… I ah… never really learned,” he confessed, remembering his past attempts with Micah. He sat down at the edge of the bed at Dutch’s feet and rubbed at his swell, the pup kicking up a fuss. Dutch watching him would’ve made his skin crawl a few days earlier but now, Arthur was pleasantly comfortable under the alpha’s watchful gaze. The fear he had against the clan was beginning to erode away quickly. They’d been the first decent people Arthur had come across in many years.

“I suppose I’ll have to teach you, then,” Dutch said in a matter-of-fact sort of way. Arthur was surprised by this, an alpha willing to take away from his own time. He looked towards the man, his eyes half lidded as he sunk further into the pillows. Arthur quickly forced his smile to remain unnoticeable. 

“I… I’d appreciate that,” Arthur stammered. A warm feeling began to swell up in his chest. “You need anythin’ before I go?” he asked. The alpha simply cocked a smile and shook his head in reply, thankful he’d gotten this far. Arthur nodded and smiled as well, willing to let this one show. “Okay.” 

He lingered longer than he thought he should, the sounds of Dutch’s snoring beginning to resonate through the room. He wondered if the alpha would remember tonight or if it would be sloughed off with the liquor in his sleep. Arthur couldn’t be sure as he crept out of the room. He made his way upstairs, the weight of the day really sinking in its claws now and he thought about all that needed doing in the morning. Despite a sense of being overwhelmed, he also felt relief. Javier was here. Micah would be gone at least a little while to recruit. Dutch had plans to teach him. It was almost all too much and he found himself feeling excited.


End file.
